The Legend of Link: Heroes of Time
by Gargravarr
Summary: Six months post-TP, a lost and broken Link must conquer his own inner emptiness as Nothingness itself threatens to swallow everything he cares for. With allies old and new, he must face his greatest enemy ever. TP/OoT spoilers. LxM, ZxOC. COMPLETE 7/11/10
1. Prologue

**Hi, this is my first fanfic that I think has definite potential, though being my first published, please excuse any poor writing styles – I'll get better, honest!**

**This is also a very rare use of first-person for me. I dislike specifying when the perspective switches, so I'll mark them with a sequence of characters: ~^~, and it should be clear from that point who I am writing through. This story takes place immediately after TP.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Legend of Zelda nor any of its characters. I do, however, own the plot and any extra characters laid out in this story.**

* * *

~^~

It was all over.

All of it.

Nothing left.

I watched him.

He stood completely frozen.

Seconds ticked by like hours, and yet he remained perfectly still. I dared not look at his face; I could _feel_ his despair.

All around us, pieces of the shattered Mirror of Twilight settled into the dust, only to disappear into the sands like children tucked into bed. A dream laid to rest.

As the last glimmer of silver vanished into the unknown, he collapsed heavily to his knees, dust stirring around the points of impact. His breaths were so heavy it felt like he was breathing straight into my ears.

And then the scream…

He threw back his head, so hard I knew it must have caused him pain. His mouth opened wide, and a mournful scream erupted from him. It echoed around the chamber, straight out into the ancient grounds. It drilled into my ears, and yet I could not close them. To do so would deny him his despair.

He could not word his feelings, yet they chose to all escape at once. A symphony of emotion played out of him. His breath ran thin, and his head fell, only to begin a new act.

I simply stood there. I felt so powerless. I wanted so much to run to him, to comfort him, to say how right everything would be. I wanted so much to, but I knew I could not help him.

There was only one other who could help him. The one who had done this, the one who drew it all to a close. Even I felt slightly bitter at her for what she had done.

For what must have been the sixth time, his breath ran out, but this time it seemed to have drained him of all will. He fell forward slowly, his arms outstretched to catch himself on the dusty ground. As he adopted a pose so natural, his head fell to his palms and the only sounds that could be heard were muffled tears. What had she done?

I stood there through it all. There was nothing I could do, no purpose to be there. And yet I could not leave. He needed a witness, even if he did not know it.

Across the horizon, the Sun sank gracefully into the sands, for a moment bathing the land in _that light_. He stopped his sobs, if only briefly, to gaze across the lands. This time meant much to him, I knew without even remembering. This time eternal had brought them together. How ironic that now it had torn them apart.

* * *

**Well, I think this is a good start. I have two more chapters to upload; this site has a learning curve. Please R&R! I would love to hear what you think of whatever I write, good or bad. This is going to be quite a long story, so any comments might just help shape it into something really good!**  
**Thanks for reading!  
**


	2. Chapter 1: Aftermath

**Here's the first chapter of Heroes of Time. This is when things start moving. Although I've specified Midna as a second character, Zelda is actually used more for now; I specified Midna as she's the character this story revolves around. Also, just to be clear, as far as the Twilight goes, assume for now that there is no way back to it. This story centres on Link. I might bring Midna back, if I can find a way.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Legend of Zelda, setting or any of its characters. Any extra characters and the plot of this fanfic are mine.  
**

* * *

Chapter 1  
Aftermath

Had it been so long? How could so much time fly past my face? I hated myself for it.

_Six months gone_.

And what had I to show for it?

An ever-more efficient method for rounding up those useless excuses for goats.  
Countless awkward moments with so many.  
Countless more tellings of my adventures.

_Nothing to show for it_.

By now, I had trained myself to forget. I had done well; I could barely remember what had forced me to, and if I did not try to remember, it would not bother me.

What I could not shake was a new feeling.

As I rolled out from under the sheets of my bed, I felt emptiness.

Nothingness.

A void within me.

Something was missing from my life, beyond what I had forced myself never to remember.

Was this life?

Moreover, was this _my_ life?

Me, back in the village, like nothing had ever happened.

Me, riding a proud mare over the same path every day, treading out the same routine.

Me, just _being _here.

I had never felt so empty in all my life.

I guess it was because I knew there was _more_, so much _more_ to life than this… this… pathetic excuse for an occupation. I knew it, deep down, I yearned for the adventure.

The thrill of journeying, solving puzzles, meeting new, interesting people, finding new companions…

A pang swept through me, the memory trying to break into my mind. I shooed it away. _Not now_.

In comparison to then, my life was nothing.

All the villagers saw the change. Before all of this, I had been honoured to help them out. I fondly remembered rescuing Uli's cot, helping Rusl gather firewood, and I smiled, maybe even helping that idiot Fado round up those _animals_.

I shook my head suddenly.

That voice was not mine.

I would never think of Fado as an idiot.

_Or would I? Come on, face it, he couldn't pick the left-hand goat if there was only one!_

Shut up! You're insulting him!

_I'm just telling you the truth, that's all._

I shooed away the voice, hoping it would land in the same place as the memory and never resurface. Ha, the chance of that was slim. Now, my outlook really could be like that, pessimistic, degrading…

"HEY!!!"

…

No…

Not now…

Not when I'm feeling like…

"Fado!" I said with forced warmth as I leant out of my window.

That jolly, fat man waved up to me.

"Hey Link!" He yelled up. "You busy?"

Why yes, I'm completely occupied with the events of sixth months ago that everyone seems intent on forgetting…

"No, not really. Want the usual help?"

"You know me!" He beamed. So incurably happy, so innocent, so stupid…

Unseen, I smacked the back of my own head. My eyes flickered closed for a moment, before I refocused them on Fado. Yes, I knew him. "I'll be right down," I said, keeping my voice under control.

Dawn had broken not long ago. So began another day. Another long, arduous, meaningless day. No doubt Colin would pester me to teach him the Great Spin today as well. I knew in my heart he could handle it, but I saw something in his eyes, something that reminded me of me, long ago. How I longed for simpler days, where the childish innocence gave every day meaning. I couldn't bring myself to deprive him of what he had left of that. He was still growing, and so fine a swordsman the village had not seen since me. I snorted a laugh as I thought of Colin in my green tunic, racing across Hyrule Field on Trecotta, the young stallion Rusl found for him in Kariko, off to save the day, the princess, the world even…

He'd do me out of a job!

I savoured the image for a few seconds before it faded, taking my smile with it. Back to the real world.

I slid down a level to my clothes on the floor below. They were badly worn, beaten, and loved, mismatched from scraps the village had pooled for me when I needed them. I had confined the beautiful tunic, and everything that I felt could ever associate me with the Hero of _that light_ to a locked chest in my basement. To make sure, I had placed the key far away, in a place that I would only go to if the Hero was called for again.

Until then I was just Link. Just Link, the swordsman, the deputy mayor, the goat herder…

The last one struck my thoughts and jarred them. All right, I thought, pulling on my clothes as fast as I could without tearing them.

Moments later, I left my house. Beside it, Epona stood, fully awake. She knew the routine by now. She could recognise Fado's yell as well as me. By Nayru, she'd have saddled herself if she could.

I pulled the worn leather fittings from my arm and placed them on her back. She whinnied softly and I patted her mane. I stroked her head a few times, then drew the bridle onto it. She took it willingly. "Another day…" I whispered into her beautiful ears, then I swung myself onto her back. Without even moving myself, Epona began towards the ranch. She could tell I was safe in the saddle, that I was deep in my own thoughts and that the goats beckoned.

Another pang of emptiness stabbed at me.

(~^~)

"Princess," the guard bowed. "Your mother and father request an audience with you."

"Thank you Pellen," I said gratefully. The guard rose soundlessly, even with his heavy armour, and left.

What could my parents possibly want? Hyrule sat at peace, its economy stable and its residents content. My most trusted advisor Rorke suggested, off the record, naturally, that Hyrule could soon enter a prosperous Golden Age of perfect peace and wealth lasting decades, perhaps centuries.

Though it warmed me that such a time was at hand, my duties as Princess were increasingly dull. My day consisted mostly of new traders, some from known villages, some from far beyond Hyrule, requesting to conduct business in the land. Occasionally I would be asked to supervise a trade within the castle, or to settle a petty difference. But overall, being Princess was beginning to bore me.

I left the sanctuary that was my room and entered the Throne Room.

My father stood closest to me, my mother sitting on a commoner's bench beside him.

It saddened me slightly. Both monarchs had ruled justly and successfully, but when my father caught such a fever that my mother feared for his life, he became convinced that he was unfit to rule. My mother somehow agreed, and much to the surprise of the land, they handed the power of the land to me. At the time, I was told it was an honour, to rule perhaps only temporarily while my mother tended to my father. And I did not have that much of a hand in the ruling, anyway. Rorke made many a decision for me; my parents had trusted him with their crowns, so I saw no reason not to. His counsel had been good; up until the… that _event_, life had been good. But then I saw what had really happened; they pushed me into the public eye, left me with the crown to make the decisions myself. It was either a cruel test, or their love for me truly did know bounds.

And now, my father was healed yet had not retaken his crown. He told me time and again that he was truly unfit to rule. I could see it in his eyes; he was weaker than he had ever been. The sickness had ruined his body, and quashed his mind. My mother had less of an excuse, that she wished to care for him, to be at his side day and night. Where had they been whilst they ruled?

It was not true resentment I felt towards them, but I did feel some sparks of anger at times. The Triforce of Wisdom guided me through it, though. It cleared my mind of such petty emotions and let me focus on that which mattered.

Hyrule.

My people. For they truly _were_ my people now.

"Father, Mother," I said cordially.

"Your highness," my father said quietly, not completely joking, not completely serious.

"Zelda, my dear," my mother answered, a soft smile settling onto her face.

"How are you today, Father?" I said casually. I was treading carefully around them, not knowing what they wanted.

"My chest still troubles me, yes, but my spirit is high!" He smiled broadly, stifling a couple of coughs.

"I believe he will grow no stronger, but at the same time will grow no weaker," my mother said. Bittersweet news – though he would surely live to see many more moons, he would not be able to resume his rule.

"There is one tiny thing that troubles both of us, however," my father continued, now serious. I braced myself.

"When will you choose a suitor?"

…

The question hung heavy in the air. That was **it?**

For weeks now, they had discretely sent dozens of subjects into my presence, all so subtly trying to woo me. Some had tried very hard and I had seen through them, whilst others had been sincere, though I knew my parents' plan – the suitor would doubtless be an envoy from a neighbouring land, and by taking my hand, they would unify the two.

I had not long turned eighteen. This was something I was not ready for, but they would not listen. They had good reason – I could not take the title of 'Queen' until a King shared my rule.

And yet there was the problem. It was just a title. I was still Zelda, ruler of Hyrule, adored by the populace and a capable leader. I saw no reason to marry a relative stranger just to be 'official.'

"I have written to Orlon again, and decided that though he is pure of heart, his style of rule would not benefit Hyrule," I told them carefully. I liked Orlon, in all truth, yet my words were not lies; he had no drive, no will to make tough decisions. In Hyrule, when the unexpected is eternally waiting to drop from the next cloud, such a lack of fire would be his undoing. I had also found out he was the brother of the ruler of a land far to the North, the land of Arylus, and so he was swiftly struck from my list.

That left a mere two potentials – Simon of Dulfannin, or Korunus of Termina. Both had such a heavy hand with their methods that I had considered burning their names from the paper before my parents' eyes. I did, however concede that Simon was likable, and we thought along the same lines. If I let myself, I believed I could take his hand in mine. But that voice nagged at me, the one that said I was not ready. And I was powerless to deny that. I honestly could not see myself sitting beside him in the Throne Room, a mere girl to his middle age. I would not be ruled by my parents. I was in charge of the land. And how could I govern the land if I could not make my own decisions?

"Orlon… he was a nice man, your father and I found him remarkable," my mother reminisced. She exaggerated her stare into the past; she had tried this many times, trying to guilt me into reconsidering. Having come close to giving in once, I would not be moved.

"Indeed," my father said, and yet he pursued it no further. It was as I suspected; my mother was the one driving the horses. He was simply along for the ride.

"And Simon and Korunus? What do you make of them?" My mother questioned.

"Though I admire them, I also fear them. They are the opposite of Orlon; I believe they will do the kingdom ill through their eagerness to act."

"But that leaves no-one!" My mother exclaimed, almost shrieked.

"The decision," I said, dangerously firm, "is mine and mine alone. I must follow my heart to find the one who will complete this land."

"What about that man you met moons ago, who aided us in our time of need? What was his name, Vick, Rink…" My father suggested. I drew breath; I knew who he meant.

"His name is Link," I completed. "Link is a man of the highest honour, above and beyond what I am capable of showing him. I admire him and believe he would make a fine King, but I know that he will not rule with me. His passions lie elsewhere, and he cannot be made to do anything." Except what the goddesses wish, I thought to myself.

"Then where does this leave you?" My mother said, trying hard to hide her irritation.

"In charge of my own destiny," I said finally and walked away.

I could feel the shock on my mother's face as I left. I did not turn. From now on, I would make my own decisions. They were more than welcome to 'advise' me, but they would not push me. They had done that for much, much too long.

As my feet trod the path to my room, I saw him in my mind. His green tunic, the mark of the goddesses shining on his hand, his unstoppable sword…

_Could he truly be king?_

No, not a chance. If he were destined to be king, the goddesses would have made it so. And I cannot question their will. He would remain their servant, their relentless warrior, always ready to turn his head and blade to the needs of others.

Another image appeared in my mind. The green tunic, mark and sword remained, yet the figure possessing them crouched on the ground like a wolf. And just like a wolf, he had howled into the sunset, a forlorn, tuneless melody of regret. I could not ask him to even think about becoming king with what he went through. For all I knew, she haunted his thoughts, dreams and nightmares, and he would never see her again.

I pushed open my door without thinking. When it closed, I felt at peace. Any troubles were left at the door. In here, this space was mine and mine alone. I decreed that nothing would bother me in here.

And yet the memory of a certain Hero refused my wishes.

(~^~)

"Whoa Epona! Whoa!" I shouted, calming the mare as she reared and whinnied. "It's just Colin!" As if I had told her in her own tongue, she lowered back to her hooves, shaking her head as if in apology. Before her stood the source of the trouble.

The blond-haired boy was frozen in terror. I could understand; watching a large horse rear and kick in every direction would probably leave one unable to act. I stroked her neck, then glared at him.

"What did I tell you, Colin?" There was an edge to my voice, not anger nor fear, but disappointment. It was not something I was used to stringing my words with; I cringed inside as I thought how like his mother I sounded.

Colin stuttered, "I-I th-thought you w-were a sh-shadow b-b-beast!" His wooden toy sword shook in his hand as he spoke.

My eyes fell involuntarily shut as I tried to understand why he would have jumped us on our way back from the ranch. The village had seen no monsters, beasts, heck even monkeys since… those events… I knew Colin to be pure in his quest to be a warrior, but he had to know when to call it a day.

"Why would Shadow Beasts come to Ordon?" I asked dangerously. "Hyrule is safe. For six moons it has been perfectly safe. And though your intentions are honourable," I closed my eyes again and gritted my teeth behind my lips, forcing away that awful voice. I looked him in the eyes and found warmth flowed naturally now. "Colin, go and play with Beth, Malo and Talo. You have many years to complete your training. You are only a child once. Please, hear me, don't waste these years."

I knew I was the one he had to hear this from. My own childhood had been nothing but pain. I never knew my parents, passing from one family to another, stopping only as long as it took them to decipher that odd birthmark on my hand. However faint, the sign of the goddesses scared them more than it inspired them, and I was soon sent away. It was only when I came here that these simple villagers, unaware, at least at first, of the meaning of the Triforce, adopted me for good. But by that time, the good years were gone. I could not bear anyone else losing their childhood.

"But I want to be a great warrior, and fast!" Colin protested.

I smiled. "But you already are a good warrior, Colin, and you learn faster than I have ever seen!"

"No, I want to be the greatest warrior before you leave!"

The silence was stunning. Even the birds seemed to hold their breath. Epona tried to whinny, but felt uncomfortable being the only source of sound and broke it off.

"Before… I leave?" I said, my mind still working through the meaning of his words. "But Colin, I'm not going anywhere!"

"Yes you are! I can see it in your eyes!" He protested again, stronger this time. He stamped his foot and tears sparkled at the corners of his eyes. "You're going to leave and never come back!"

I jumped off Epona, patted her neck and walked over to Colin. He was actually crying. My thoughts were scrambled, but I acted on instinct and pulled him into a hug. He buried his face in my shoulder and sobbed for a few minutes. I patted him, tousling his hair whilst I thought about what he said.

Do I really want to leave here? Leave the only place I belong?

I knew my thoughts would summon…

_Of course you do! How could you 'belong' here, with these simple folk? You're a warrior! It's like forcing a skilled archer to play that slingshot game in town. Waste of ability._

Of course.

Then a third voice, one I had never heard before, found itself.

_Maybe going away, at least for a while, would be good for you! Look around! Isn't this everything you fought for? You ran away from who you were, but you live in your own deeds! Is it any wonder you can't stop thinking about it?_

This voice made so much sense it scared me. I had fought sword, shield and tooth to save Ordon, and the rest of Hyrule. In that order. Ilia, Beth, Malo, Talo, Colin – they were all saved by my efforts as the Hero. How could I leave that part of me in a dark basement and expect it to simply end there? No, this entire village, damn, the entire _land_ still stood because of what I did! To deny that I had anything to do with it was to say that it all no longer existed.

Colin saw that in my eyes. My deepest thoughts, and he saw them. How could he be right?

How could he be wrong?

Colin mumbled something into my shoulder and I released my comforting grip. He looked up at me, his shining blue eyes as deep as oceans and just as wet. "Look at me," he blubbed, wiping his eyes and nose. "How can I ever be a great warrior if I cry?"

I looked straight back into those eyes, and felt a connection. Maybe this is what Colin felt when he looked at me. "You cry because you're human, Colin. You can't run away from your feelings. And you have every right to these tears. Some of us don't realise what we have until we lose it…" By the goddesses, I felt on the verge of tears myself. I struggled with them, holding them back for now. "But you know that. And you need to hear this, Colin: I will be leaving Ordon soon."

Colin's eyes shook with tears again. But I never dropped my look, feeling that link to him.

"But I will be back. I would **never** leave you forever. But I have to find myself again. I don't know how long it will take, or when I will be back, but I will return before you know it."

The boy sniffed back his tears. "You promise, Link?"

The connection strengthened. There was such warmth between us that the slightest hint of a cold lie would chill us to the bone. "I give you my word." I pulled Colin into a hug again, and though he let out another sniffle or two, his tears dried and his lip steadied when I released him.

"What are you going to tell the others?" He asked.

"I don't know… I haven't had time to even think. You made me realise what I need to do… I need to see Princess Zelda before anything else. I'll tell them I'm going to Hyrule Castle. Do you think that'll do?"

"Yeah, they know you have a crush on the princess," Colin beamed.

Again, his words had my mind doing backflips. But this time, the words weren't true. I knew no little voice would appear and tell me I really was secretly in love with Zelda. She was to her people as I was to the goddesses. There was no room in between. But the excuse would keep the villagers at bay long enough for me to seek out what I needed. "That'll do fine," I smiled at him. "Now, go home, it's getting dark!" I ruffled his hair, he beamed at me and scurried off home. I watched as the villagers prepared to retire for the night, before remounting Epona and continuing home.

Of course, one villager, I would soon discover, was far from ready for her sleep. Colin had sprung me from the bushes by Mayor Bo's house.

I had not noticed the light, nor the open window in a certain girl's room…

* * *

**I think the long-awaited confrontation will occur, oo, in about ten minutes when I upload Chapter 2 :) Now I've gotten the hang of this site, I'll be updating as often as I can. I wrote the first three parts in a few hours last night; just need a bit of motivation and this story should come together in no time.**

**Please R&R and thanks for reading!  
**


	3. Chapter 2: Loosening Tied Ends

**OK, part 3 of my writing so far. I'm not entirely sure how things will go from here; I know what I want, just not how, so if I've gathered readers already, it might take a day or two. Also, this chapter is shorter than I expected, but I didn't want to go into all the details at this stage. That'll come in a couple of chapters**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Legend of Zelda, setting or any of its characters. Any extra characters and the plot of this fanfic are mine.**

**

* * *

**Chapter 2

Loosening Tied Ends

No sooner had I relieved Epona of the burden of the saddle when I sensed something bad was heading for me. It wasn't the same feeling I had before battle. If I had only known what was headed my way was worse.

I looked to the gap in the hedgerows. Sure enough, a girl stormed through them. Her hair was short and completely untamed, as though she had washed it and neglected to dry it. Her clothes bore the sign of a day in the forest. Her face bore the look of an attacking Bulbin.

Oh goddesses, I thought, please protect me.

"Ilia, I…" I said as she strode up to me.

SMACK!

My head lurched involuntarily to the side as her hand made contact with my left cheek. It felt like a fire arrow had pierced my mouth.

"Argh! What was that for?" I said, turning to face her and at the same time covering my cheek with my hand.

"YOU WANT TO LEAVE??" She screamed. I was certain the Spirit of the Spring was now listening intently, along with the remaining villagers.

"What I said to Colin…"

"I heard it all!"

I fell silent.

"To think that you could not only LEAVE, but then LIE about WHY you left!" Her anger was fit to burst. Sure enough, she swung at me again, for my right cheek this time. This time, my battle-hardened senses told me to move out of the way. It was an almost lazy move; when you're fighting for your life against a much faster, stronger opponent, a scorned woman was nothing.

I caught her hand as she tried to withdraw it. For a few seconds I held it, as she tensed her muscles. She had the potential to be a fighter too, I noticed with a heavy heart. If she would only apply herself more, be more than what she was…

She could only find that power within herself. I released her arm.

"Would you rather hit me, or find out the truth of all this?" I offered her.

She blinked several times. She hadn't expected this move on my part. She considered it, then-

SMACK!

The hand came from nowhere. In seconds, my mouth felt like I had wrapped a lava slug around it.

"Both." She said finally. I rubbed my cheeks and motioned to go into the house.

When we had sat down at the table and I had lit a lantern, I could tell she was ready to launch at me. I cut her off.

"You want to know everything, you let me speak." I said firmly.

Ilia fell back to silence.

"How much do you know of the Twilight Month earlier this year?" I asked her. It wasn't so strange I had never asked her; I'd kept my distance since I came back. I was so fragile, I felt like glass around her.

"I know I was kidnapped, the land turned to an evil realm and monsters appeared from everywhere," she said defiantly.

"Well, that's the problem; one of those 'monsters' was actually a very close friend to me. She wasn't a monster at all; she was the ruler of the people the monsters came from. Her throne was stolen, and she asked me to help her get it back."

"You HELPED them?!"

"I told you, she wasn't a monster."

"But she was part of their kind!"

I sighed heavily. She wasn't going to get it.

"This is why I didn't want to tell you. I knew you'd never see the Twili as more than evil monsters."

"And they're gone! Hooray, let's get on with life."

"That's just it; my life split at that point. I got her what she wanted, she helped me banish the Twilight and defeat Ganondorf. And when it was all over, she… she…" I couldn't say any more. I was ready to break down at the very thought; tears welled in my eyes.

To rub salt in my wounds, Ilia's eyes burned with fire. Or maybe it was the reflection of the lantern?

"She what? Went back to her own land and never returned? _Died?!_" She said wickedly. "So much the better. This land needs less monsters!"

Nope, fire of their own.

"How can you be so insensitive?" I asked her, my mouth curling with disbelief. "Without her, I'd never have saved Hyrule or banished the Twilight!"

"But you did. You came back, just like I knew you would." Her voice had turned oddly soft. Almost… no…

Seductive? Oh no.

I stood up and turned away. I closed my eyes, trying to believe I hadn't just heard that. I heard Ilia rise behind me, but without looking around, told her, "No Ilia, it's just not what you think."

She blinked. I could feel it.

"Not…what?" She said, slowly as though not wanting to believe.

I sighed. She needed the whole truth or it would never come out. And yet the whole truth would hurt her.

It needed to be done.

"I… don't love you, Ilia, at least, not the way you want me to…" I said slowly, sadly.

She remained there, dumbstruck, for several minutes. When I finally turned to look at her, her face was one of misunderstanding, as though she no longer understood her mother tongue.

"You… don't… love… me?" She said, so slowly each word sank into my ears. "B-but, but…"

Another sigh. "Ilia, you are like a sister to me. Nothing less, but nothing more. I love you like my own sister, but I just can't love you as my girlfriend. You and I are too different… It was never meant to be."

Deep down, Ilia knew it was true. High up, however, was in charge. And it was straight on the attack. "If you don't love me, then who… HER?!" She roared. I was thankful the table separated us.

"You fell in LOVE with one of those Twilight MONSTERS?! How COULD you?! And you DARED show your face here again? Talk to ME?!"

I would have corrected her on the last point, but the Goddesses had no wrath like a woman scorned. Suddenly, she was oddly calm.

"I want you to leave, Link. Leave and never see me again. The sooner, the better." There was such weight to each word, if she had pushed me into water I would have drowned. Then, without looking at me, she rose from the chair, turned, and silently left.

The door slammed though, just to signify the closing of this point of my life.

* * *

**And that's a wrap! Like I've said above, not sure exactly where I'll go from here; let me think about it for a day, maybe. Should have an answer by then.**

**In the meantime, R&R please! Any comments welcome!  
**


	4. Chapter 3: The Road Ahead

**And we're up! Thanks to everyone for their patience; I needed those couple of days to get my head around the details. I know where the story's going and have written some later chapters, so I just need to make them match up. I would also like to clarify, the title Heroes of Time may seem quite ambiguous, but trust me, I've got BIG plans for this story!  
And to say thanks for waiting, enjoy two chapters for the price of one! Merry Xmas!  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Legend of Zelda, its settings or any characters. I do own the plot of this fanfic and any extra characters.  


* * *

**

Chapter 3

The Road Ahead

I guess I should have expected him to turn up, though maybe as my thoughts were swimming odd ways through my mind it never occurred to me. Nonetheless, as Bo climbed awkwardly into my house later that night, it didn't register why he would choose to see me so late.

I offered him a drink of the weak mead Telma kept for her 'junior' customers. I'd found I preferred being kicked in the gut by Epona to the real stuff; how all those soldiers could drink so much there and still make it back to their posts was beyond me. Even so, Bo took up the offer, and we sat at my table, softly lit by a solitary lantern in the darkness all around. He finally spoke, softly and with much thought to his words.

"Ilia told me about what happened earlier."

My thoughts jumped back into line. I began forming strategies, looking for ways out of this, yet Bo showed no anger at me. I put the thoughts aside and looked straight into his eyes, silently asking him, 'tell me your thoughts.'

He continued, "Link, you and I know each other better than anyone. And though I do not approve of how you told Ilia," he sighed heavily, "you are right."

This was completely unexpected. I had been waiting for him to jump to his daughter's defence, ready to severely beat me until I took back my words.

"Everyone has seen what your passion is, Link. You live for the adventure, craving the challenge, the discovery, anything that keeps you moving. Though I have often thought Ilia to be just as capable, she does not act on it. She is content with the simple life, and you could never be."

"Her and me would never work," I agreed with barely a whisper; I still couldn't trust myself to speak up. What if my words made things worse?

Bo locked eyes with me. I guess he saw the truth in them, for he gave a slow, deep nod. "I could always see something in your eyes when you thought of Ilia, before all this Twilight business." My mouth contorted at the mention of _that word_. "Your eyes would sparkle and dance whenever her name was mentioned. But now I cannot see that sparkle. You truly do not love her; your heart lies with someone else."

I cringed inside, afraid that Ilia had told Bo the whole story. I wasn't even sure myself any more; _she_ was another species entirely, lived in a different realm. Could she even love? Did I love her, or was I just reacting to the emptiness? "I don't know if I do, Bo. I don't know anything any more; I thought I knew who I was, but… those _events_… they showed that I was wrong."

"You need to find yourself, is what I heard," Bo said, and his voice was somehow reassuring. "You live among the deeds of someone you do not understand. I can understand how you feel; when I earned the trust of the Gorons, I felt torn between the simple Mayor, and the respected Brother."

"What did you do?" I asked.

The answer was exactly what I expected. "I took some time away from both lives, weighing them up and deciding who I was."

"And what did you discover?" I already knew the answer, but there was no harm in asking him.

"I decided the simple life of Mayor was for me," he smiled warmly. "I had no need nor desire to be the Brother all the time. Maybe you will find the same."

"So, you won't mind me leaving for a while?" I asked him.

His smile softened, growing warmer. "Of course not, Link! The village is safe, and now it is our turn to worry about you! We will still be here when you return, and I believe Colin will be more than happy to guard the village from any stray monkeys!"

I began to grin uncontrollably; Bo always knew how to cheer me up. "I have nothing against the village, but I was thinking of leaving at first light. My journey will be long, and much as I love everyone, I don't want them to think I'm leaving forever. I'll return soon."

"But of course, Link. Set your own sails, make your own winds. You have earned your freedom to choose; choose wisely and may your journey bring you the answers you seek." He rose from the table. "I shall tell whoever asks that you have returned to Hyrule Castle on business for the Princess, and that you will return when you are ready."

"Thank you Bo."

As he gathered himself by the door, he turned to say one final thing, "May the Goddesses be with you." And then he left.

His words rang around my head like a bell. May the Goddesses be with me? Weren't they always? And weren't they the ones who led me into this mess? Maybe I didn't need their help; I defeated Ganondorf all by myself! I shook the thought. I would leave at first light. Then maybe things would start making sense.

First light roused me as usual, as the dim rays of sunlight crept through my window and into my eyes. I was soon up and dressed. It surprised me slightly, remembering the events of the night before, that I was so awake so quickly. I guess I was so eager to leave, to begin my journey, that everything else ceased to matter.

I dressed in my usual clothes, took up my shield and slung it across my back. Its considerable weight felt right at home there. The blade that went with it was something else.

The Master Sword, safely back in the Forest Temple, had shown me what a sword could be; from the moment I had drawn it, I had felt its perfect weight, perfect balance, perfect edges… It was as if it read my thoughts and knew what sword I would wield. It also showed me how poor Rusl's finest sword was in comparison; I just could not wield the Ordon Sword as well as the Master Sword. One of the first things I had done was work with him and a blacksmith of a neighbouring village to create my perfect sword; it was the size of the Master Sword, yet its blade was stronger than any Hylian sword. Rusl told me about a new technique from a distant land called 'folding steel,' which compressed the blade to make it stronger for its size. Naturally, this made it heavier, yet I could live with its extra weight, for its balance was perfect; as good as the Master Sword, if not better. In training, I felt my old moves return swiftly. It had been the sword holding me back. So I named it the Blade of Courage.

Only to me was the sword known by that name. I had long grown tired of the label applied to me as bearer of the Triforce; I had never revealed my title to anyone outside of the village, or to those who did not already know it.

I hefted the sword in my left hand; its grip was shaped to fit my palm, such that the slightest movement in the right direction would control its lethal blade. It lacked ornaments to discourage thieves, so its hilt was larger than most swords to add the weight to it. It was truly a beautiful weapon. Its steel blade shone even in the dim light, but did not generate its own light; I missed the Master Sword, and its ability to drive back any darkness, but whilst the blade chose me, it was only to be used in times of greatest need. It would be insulting to use it as my everyday blade.

I slid the sword into its scabbard on my back. I packed some food for the journey – a loaf of fresh bread, some goat's cheese (finally, those animals were good for something!), some water and a couple of apples.

From the basement, I retrieved Epona's saddle and bridle, solemnly ignoring the locked chest as it seemed to call to me. I took everything outside, closed my door and saddled Epona. Climbing onto her back, I glanced through the hedgerows at the sleeping village.

"Goodbye, Ordon," I whispered. I clicked my tongue and the mare ambled forwards. Our journey had begun.

(~^~)

Something had kept me awake, for I could not sleep no matter how much I tried. Well, I could sleep, but all I saw was darkness. This wasn't dreamless sleep; they were dreams of nothing but darkness. But there had been more to the darkness. It moved, flowed, sought out light and consumed it.

I felt certain these dreams had meaning, but with the events of so little time ago still fresh in my mind, I could not bring myself to face them. I had been granted wisdom, not courage; wisdom could not yet rationalise what I saw, so I would continue to fear the visions.

I looked up from my desk to the window. Dawn had broken, and the golden sunlight rose over Hyrule. The start of another day.

The sunbeams edged onto my desk, lighting the drawing I had done when I had the first dream. I channelled my thoughts to the paper, trying to bring out details my mind could not see.

I almost wished I hadn't.

I couldn't tell for sure, but what I saw, within the darkness on the page, was _something_. There was no way to tell what it was; a piece of rock? A person?

A villain?

The visions, I had traced, came from the Triforce. Whoever bore the Triforce was 'blessed' with foresight of impending tragedies. What scared me was that they were never wrong, and there was no way to tell dream from prophecy. My ancestors who bore this mark before me learned to treat every dream as though a vision of things to come. I could not do that; my dreams until now had been retellings of the Twilight events.

Events I saw from her eyes.

My part in the crisis had been small, yet significant. When I had shared my life-force with her, I had chosen the true path, the path that would lead Hyrule out of the darkness and back to the light. What if I had allowed her to die? It had been what she wanted, after all – she wished to pass the torch to me to aid Link. Yet I had known she was key to the disaster. I did not know then that she would vanquish it; she could have strengthened its hold for all I knew. But there was something about her… she came to me, well, Link brought her to me, dying and delirious. She knew things I did not. There was something about her that told me she had no desire to see further bloodshed. Somehow, against my better judgement, I _knew_ she could do more than I to save Hyrule. And wasn't that my first duty, to my people? I kept her alive, changed her, showed her the ways of the Light, and she had grown to accept us, perhaps even love one of us, I thought with a smile.

If I had allowed her to die, obeyed her wishes, I doubted sunlight would ever have fallen through my window again. And the Hero? He would most likely have taken Ganondorf's place in the afterlife.

An hour or two passed, which I wiled away gazing at my own pencil strokes on the paper. The ragged lines symbolizing the darkness, the cluster in the middle representing the presence… what did it mean? Why-

KNOCK KNOCK.

The banging drew me out of my trance. The sun was rising well into the sky now. "Who is it?" I called.

"It is Pellen," said a muffled voice through the door. I quickly threw on my robe over my nightdress. "May I enter?"

I fastened the belt to my robe. "Yes, you may come in."

The door opened and Pellen walked in. He fell to a bow before me and presented me with a package. "Delivered by a messenger from Orlon of Arylus, my lady."

I took the parcel from him and placed it on the desk. Behind me, Pellen remained on his knee. "Thank you Pellen, you may return to your duties."

"At once, my lady," he said, rising quietly and leaving.

There was a note attached to the package. I untied it, broke its seal and began to read it:

'_Dearest Zelda of Hyrule,_

_I hope this finds you well. I could not wait for your reply so I took it upon myself to send you this gift. Doubtless you would wish to learn more about the land of Arylus. Within this package is one of our oldest and most respected tomes, a chronicle of the forming and detailed history of our land. Please take care of it; it is the only known in existence._

_I eagerly await your reply to my letter, which I know speeds back to me as you read this._

_My thanks for the opportunity to get to know you,_

_Orlon'_

As I read it, I regretted dispatching the messenger the previous day to tell Orlon no. And now he was sending me gifts?

Though I should have returned the package unopened, I felt too curious to obey. So I decided to read the book, make note of any worthy information and return it to him immediately. Yes, that would be acceptable.

I turned to the package and untied it. The paper wrapping fell away to reveal a beaten, faded leather cover. No doubt, this book was centuries old. Perhaps one of the first books to be written like this. Its title was too faint to read.

I opened the cover, releasing the musky smell of ancient paper. The first page was also slightly faded, but readable. The letters were less so. They looked familiar, yet I could not understand their words. I searched my mind for where I could have seen such text before; one word stood out: 'Hyrunliae.' I knew that word… It was an ancient dialect of Hylian! A language no longer spoken aloud nor widely read, except to the scholars or to those gifted with wisdom beyond their nature…

I channelled the power of the Triforce, granting myself the wisdom to read the ancient words.

* * *

**Chapter 4 will be up momentarily. R&R please! Any comments greatly appreciated! Thanks to those who've already reviewed!**


	5. Chapter 4: Painful Truths

**Tissues at the ready, this will be an emotional chapter! If you like to set stories to music, then I suggest Rush's Hold Your Fire album from 1987. If only one song in particular, try Emotion Detector from Rush's 1985 album Power Windows. It perfectly sums up Link in this chapter. Brace yourselves!**

**

* * *

**

Chapter 4

Painful Truths

(~^~)

We galloped at speed through Hyrule field. Things had returned to normal by now; the Bulbins had long since retreated to a small camp in the desert, leaving only the normal night-time monsters that travellers knew to avoid. So during the long day, the field was safe for almost anyone. I still had no trust for strangers though, so I avoided contact with anyone trekking the same path. It was hardly a bad thing; they had their business, as I had mine.

We were close to the castle now. Some hours ago, we had stopped under the shade of a tree to eat and catch our breath, but now we had only one desire – to run free as the winds, to accomplish our goal.

Epona was always a fine mare, always ready for a gallop. She was faster than any horse I had ever ridden, and even though we could not talk (at least… not while I'm like _this_), we understood each other. We trusted one another with our lives.

_Just like someone else who accompanied you…_

I closed my eyes and shook my head to rid myself of that voice. **Not now!**

My attention was drawn to the spires of Hyrule Castle. The magnificent palace rose out of the field, its wall protecting it and the citizens of the town from the dangers of the land. Well, this land at least.

We approached the east gate and crossed the bridge. Entering the town, I found the stables and paid for Epona to have food, water and a bed for the night. I smiled at how much money I had amassed on my journey; my pathetic purse was always full to bursting from the number of discarded Rupees I found wherever I went. And then Jovani… ha, I would never want for anything again!

Leaving the stables, I approached the road to the castle. It loomed over the hill at me. I was amazed at how fast the work had been completed; only six months and the destroyed tower was completely rebuilt. All that remained, so the stable-hand told me, were the furnishings in a couple of small rooms. I had no idea what Princess Zelda was paying those labourers, but had I not all the money I would ever need, I would have offered to help, if only to ease my boredom of life at Ordon.

"HALT!" A voice commanded. Right on cue.

A tall guard blocked my path, his sword drawn in his hand. I almost rolled my eyes as I ran through the number of ways I could disarm him with so little effort. With a move equivalent to the Mortal Draw, I could knock his sword from his hand before he even knew my hand had moved.

Of course, his portly friend seemed to sense that I might make trouble, and held his sword high, pointed at my chest. I could quite easily follow from the same move and knock his sword aside, lowering his defence to deliver a killing blow at my leisure…

What had that quest done to me?

"Where do you think you're going?" The first guard demanded.

"To see Princess Zelda," I said coolly. I had expected this.

"Ha, of course you are. No-one gets past without the Princess saying so."

"How do you know I'm not one of those the Princess wishes to see?"

"She gives the strictest orders that only those who match the most accurate descriptions of those she expects will be allowed to pass," the fat one said. The tall one glowered at him; evidently, they weren't supposed to reveal this.

"Tell her Link of Ordon requests an audience with her. And I'm in no hurry."

Both guards seemed to run through their lists of people to admit. It then occurred to me that I might be on that list, just… not as I should be…

"Oh for Din's sake! I'm the Hero of Twilight!" I half-shouted at them.

That did it. With the mention of the last three words, both straightened in shock, assessing me. Doubtless they would question my clothes, but they also looked at my hair, my eyes and my left hand.

Moments later, quaking in fear, they seemed to agree that I was allowed after all. They stepped aside, sheathed their swords and bowed, allowing me to pass.

I strode straight past them. It made me sick that I had to be someone else to get anywhere. Almost literally. I had truly had enough of pretending to be this Hero when it suited me. I was Link now. Now and from now on.

I wasn't stopped again. Maybe the castle workers were convinced that a duo of half-trained half-wits would be enough to hold back anyone who could possibly threaten the castle.

No wonder Zant had simply waltzed in here and taken the throne.

I knew the Princess' personal guard, Pellen, by the armband he wore; it was blue with a tiny Triforce mark. He seemed to know me as well, as he walked up to me the moment I approached the Throne Room door.

"You there! What is your purpose here?" He said.

"I am Link of Ordon, and I request an audience with the Princess," I replied in earnest.

"Link of Ordon… the Hero of Twilight?" He asked, as though confirming who I was. Suppressing my anger, I showed him the Triforce on the back of my hand. He nodded submissively to me and led me to the Princess' room.

I was surprised that Zelda had not taken to the Throne today. Pellen told me that she had received an important gift from a distant land that required all her attention. I could only hope this gift was neither magical nor living; both had a tendency to cause more trouble than I was happy with.

Zelda beckoned the pair of us into her room. As Pellen left, I dropped to my knee before royalty.

"Link of Ordon, you may rise." She told me. "You have no need to bow in my presence. If at all, I should bow to you for your deeds."

"Princess, I-"

"Again, Zelda."

"Very well," I said. Despite her insistence on informality, I was not comfortable. We both fell silent for a moment, before she pushed me, "You what?"

Of course, I was about to thank her for her time, but with formality pushed aside, it was misplaced. I shuffled awkwardly, then changed the subject. "Good book?" I said, trying to be casual. I had noticed the open book on the desk; chances were, it was the gift Pellen told me of.

"Oh, yes, it makes for very interesting, if difficult, reading," she told me. "It is a history of a foreign land with many ties to Hyrule." She could tell I was not too interested in history; such things fuelled her wisdom, not my courage. "What brings you here, Link? You and I have not exchanged so much as a greeting in six months, yet you ride all the way here."

I shuffled again. She seemed to answer for me.

"You don't know, do you?" She smiled. She, unlike me, seemed to have accepted her role as the fountain of knowledge for the lands. And like a book, she began to read me. "You still haven't gotten over her, have you Link?"

It stung more than I showed when she began referring to _her _, but I had known the subject would come up. My eyes fell away, I sighed heavily and replied honestly, "No."

"You're struggling without her."

"Yes."

"You're just going to give me one-word answers."

"No." I paused for a moment, then snorted a laugh and looked at her. She was smiling broadly, like a friend. She _was_ my friend; she was definitely more than the Princess to me. Her role in my quest had been small, but I owed her for it. "I don't know where to begin."

"In your own words, Link, I am in no hurry." She smiled warmly.

I took a breath and went through my memories. I suppose it made sense to start from the time we last saw each other. That… _awful_… time… My breath left heavily as the memory began forcing its way free. Maybe I should let it, just once… "I can't believe she did that," I said finally.

Zelda looked at me with questioning eyes. "Did what?" She pressed. I couldn't tell whether she was serious.

"You know…" I tried.

"What, Link?"

"She broke it!" I exploded. "She broke the Mirror, and she left! And I'll never see her again!" There it came; the memory…

"_Am I so beautiful that you have no words left?"_

_Those words would bounce around my skull for weeks. She was stunningly beautiful. Her true form took my breath away. I could not believe that this was the swan the duckling began as. Her skin was a pale shade of blue, her hair a violent orange, the colour of pure fire. And her eyes… Her true form drew so much attention to her eyes! So deep, deeper than my own, and such a likeness to fire that they burned with her charm. Her black gown covered her, yet allowed her Twili runes to shine through._

_I could not believe my eyes._

_This came as I had thought her dead. Seeing her alive, alone, would have been enough to paralyse me. But to see such beauty before me… I scarcely know why I did not simply collapse at that point. Nothing could have prepared me._

_We returned to the castle, she, Zelda and I. I was struck dumb by her. I remembered saying nothing, yet feeling that no words needed be said. As we were greeted by servants and guards, many asking who this new goddess was, I felt as though I should say something._

_That she was mine, and I was hers._

_But then came the nagging feeling. She had never given me any true indication that she felt remotely the same way. Sure, she had dropped hints, but I could not go on hints alone._

_So I said nothing._

_Some time later, as I sat on a chair in Zelda's room, she recognised how exhausted I was, and left me alone, taking Zelda to talk to. Another missed opportunity. My aching body seemed to ache more when she left my presence. And though my Triforce was soon restoring my strength, this ache would not leave._

_Then came the blow; she was going back to the Twilight Realm. I took this as proof; if she felt for me as I did for her, she would have stayed. Instead, she would return to her people. I could visit, she told me. But that would not be the same…_

_She warped us back to the Mirror Chamber to say goodbye. I could not take my eyes off her. If I could only bring myself to tell her how I felt, maybe she would stay…_

_But then she and Zelda began to talk, and I knew that to interrupt would not have counted in my favour. So I missed another opportunity._

_And then… then… she approached the Mirror. She looked back at me, her eyes locked with mine so that I felt I could see her very __**soul**__. "Link, I…" You what? Every fibre of my being __**begged**__ her to say what she wished to say! Did she truly feel what I felt? No, I could not confess here! If I stopped her, she might never say it! "…I…" PLEASE! SAY IT!!_

"…_See you later…"_

_A golden tear fell from her eye. She caught it on her finger and flicked it away. I was so fixed on her as she went to the staircase that I did not see where it would land. I thought it would simply vanish into the air. But then… the crack…_

_It grabbed my attention. "The true ruler of the Twili…" __**NO! NO, THIS COULD NOT BE HAPPENING!**_

_And yet it did. She reached the top of the staircase, looked back into my eyes with that same stare that exposed my very being. For a split second, I felt we were one. But it was over too soon. That beauty disappeared into millions of pieces, each one drawn through the portal to home. Not a moment later, the Mirror… the Mirror…!_

(~^~)

"**NOOOOO!**"

I was back there, back at the moment his pain started. Watching him, his mind awash with so many thoughts…

This time was different. This time, his clothes were different, the place was different…

**He** was different…

I watched Link writhe on the floor in emotional agony. I chided myself for doing this to him. It could ruin him, or it could save him.

His outburst was singular this time, but his sobs were clearer. He was truly crying for her. I saw now the extent of what she had done; she had broken his heart and then broken him. Broken the Hero of Twilight. Perhaps to the same extent as the mirror.

I allowed him to cry for a moment, before I stepped silently to his side. Ever so slowly, letting my instincts guide me, I knelt and placed my hands on his shoulders. His quakes of sorrow rippled up my arms, so strongly I could almost share in his despair.

For several moments he cried beneath me. I stroked his shoulders in reassurance, just enough to let him know I was here for him. It took a while, but he began to rein in his tears. Closing the floodgates on the river of his distress. Choking back his feelings, he lifted his head to face me. His eyes were as red as hers.

"Zelda…" he said, or rather, stuttered.

"Shh, it's OK, Link. You need to go through this," I whispered to him, like a mother to her child even though we were the same age.

He sniffled and spoke again, his speech broken with emotion, "What I… don't know is… if… she felt… the same way… or even if… this is…"

"It is," I said without hesitation. One needed not be knowledgeable in anything to recognise love.

(~^~)

"It is," Zelda whispered to me.

At that moment, everything seemed all right, if only for a moment. I had felt true love.

"And she did love you, Link. Midna loved you."

Those words crashed into me. They ran like speeding horses into my very soul. Just the mention of her name, the first time in six whole months, brought on a fresh stream of tears. How did Zelda know…

"She… did?" I sniffled.

"She did," she confirmed. "She told me, before we left the castle. She swore me never to tell you unless it would help you," she added, as if in her own defence.

My feelings began to mix. Zelda knew? She told Zelda, but couldn't tell me?

"But why…?"

"She needed to protect so much," Zelda replied. "Hyrule, her own realm, and you, Link. She did what she did to protect you."

Now there was a knot in my chest. How could she have done this to **protect** me??

Zelda sensed my thoughts. "She knew it was too risky. You are a Hylian, she is a Twili. She thought you were too different for anyone to accept. She feared for your life, Link. She feared that one day, you would step through the portal only to be killed by one of her kind who did not understand or accept you. That's why she knew she had to break the Mirror."

My skin tingled unpleasantly. It wasn't fear or sadness.

It was rage.

"She- she told you she was going to break the Mirror?" My voice was so strained with emotion even I couldn't tell what I was speaking from. But that anger stirred in my chest. Begging for release.

"Yes Link, she told me," she said soothingly. It wasn't working. "And I agreed. I feared the same as her, that one crossing from one realm to the other could go so far as to incite war. Imagine, a gang of Hyrulians waiting outside the Mirror to kill the next monster to come through… It would be madness."

What seemed like more madness was Zelda's refusal to see past the justifications. She loved me, I loved her. We were meant to be together, I knew it.

"She had her own duties to her people, Link. She and I understand that the vows we make to lead and protect our people must bend to no-one, not even the ones we love. It is the will of the Goddesses."

(~^~)

I had no idea why I said that her actions were the will of the Goddesses. I was still torn myself, but I thought Link of all people would understand; the Goddesses governed the actions of all living things. We could not question them.

Quite the opposite happened at that moment. Three words escaped Link's lips. Three words said so quietly, yet with so much power my ears must have pretended not to hear them. "What was that?" I asked, hoping there was no good reason why I hadn't heard.

Link's voice rose. His head came up to look me in the eye, and what I saw chilled me to my very soul. Some say Link's swordsmanship was what made him unstoppable in battle. Others guessed that _her_ magic was his ace. I now knew the truth.

The anger and power I saw in Link's eyes at that very moment triggered something ancient, a reaction that I could not explain.

It made me fear death.

How could one man have that much power in his eyes alone? His enemies must have seen it. It would be why he was so feared by all. Not only did he have the ability to end lives, he could and would.

I had never been so scared in all my life.

And then the words finally hit me.

"Damn the Goddesses!"  


* * *

**Whoa, this is gonna get serious! Again, I might need a couple of days to formulate an update, but please R&R so far! Thanks!**


	6. Chapter 5: Crossroads

Very minor corrections made 03-01-10  
OK, sorry to keep you all waiting, but here it is! Chapter 5!  
I'd like to take the opportunity to say many thanks to NinjaSheik for beta-reading this chapter for me. I'd also like to thank Scrambled Eggz, MoonlitMelody, Kaigon and Ninja (again) for your helpful reviews. All reviews greatly accepted - constructive criticism especially, just don't flame please! :) Also, many thanks those 6 who have fave'd or alerted my story. Updates are slow as I'm struggling with coursework, but I'm trying!  
Now, the story. I'm hoping the beta-reading has been worth it. Also, I've played the Wii version, but I'm sticking with classic lefty Link, so I've got to re-mirror the game back (i.e. use the Gamecube version), so if you notice any mistakes with regards to locations, let me know! I'm going to cut down on the AN's in future, and so I'll end here.  
Disclaimer: As ever, the Legend of Zelda is not mine and nothing here is associated with Nintendo. Plot and extra characters are mine.  
Enjoy!**

* * *

**

Chapter 5  
Crossroads

I backed away from him, numb. The world shifted out of focus as those three words played around my head. "Damn the Goddesses??"

Though we Hylians had a wide library of curses and insults, only the very worst were used against the Goddesses themselves. It was said that to say such a thing was to have given up on life itself.

How could he do this?

"Link! You don't know what you're saying!" I breathed, desperately.

His eyes flashed at me again. There was venom in his gaze, and his voice was quiet yet powerful. "Everything I did for them, and they simply discard me. They ruined my chances of happiness."

His eyes darted to his hand, and I saw something that scared me again. His Triforce had flashed silver. Evidently, he had felt it.

The Goddesses were listening to him, reminding him of why he bore that mark. If I had been them I would have burned it from the back of his hand not a moment after he said it, I thought with anger. Perhaps they would grant him a chance of retribution. But now I feared for him; he had a right to be angry, yes, but if his anger cost him his Triforce, I could not forgive myself.

"Why do you bear that mark, Link?"

"Because I was chosen to, because I was given no choice. They made me take it!" He snarled. The Triforce flashed again; his hand clenched into a fist for a moment. Maybe he felt pain, as a slight incentive to stop?

"No, Link. You bear it because you are a kind, selfless person who would do anything to help others. This man standing before me, he is not Link of Ordon. I do not know who he is."

(~^~)

Zelda's words stung me. But I knew them, already. I had changed; the quest to banish the Twilight had done it. It had opened up doors in my soul I had never even known existed. Yes, I had put others far before myself, but the quest had demanded it. Now it was over. Now I wanted to lead my life again.

"So you're saying I don't deserve happiness, Zelda?"

(~^~)

There was such accusation, such venom in his voice that I backed away for fear of being poisoned. Is that what I was suggesting? By the Goddesses, I was!

"No! No, Link. " What could I say? I was lost. He was lost, too, his anger so great yet he knew not where to direct it. "Link, please, it's not me you're angry at."

(~^~)

I stopped in my tracks. She was completely right. How could I be letting my anger attack her of all people? In seconds, that anger burned out to replace by remorse. Oh Goddesses, what had I said to her? She was trying to help me and I was too blind to see it.

My eyes scrunched up as my mind reformed. "Princess, I-I'm so sorry for what I've said." I had overstepped my boundaries. I wanted to make things better.

Zelda neither smiled nor frowned. Her face was one of complete understanding. "Link, I know you did not mean what you said to me. As far as I am concerned, your words are unspoken. I know you are angry, but you need to find some way to control and direct that anger." She came to sit down next to me. "And I think I know of a way."

She looked over to the book.

(~^~)

Was this wise? I didn't even believe it myself. And yet, ancient legends had a strange habit of being perfectly true, no matter how implausible they seemed.

I ran through what I had read in my mind. I had made notes, too. This discovery was quite amazing.

"The land of Arylus lies far to the north, beyond the mountain range," I told him. "Their legends are long and detailed, and one speaks of something they call the World's Point. In their legends, it is said to be a place on the tallest mountain where the Goddesses stood, after they formed the world, to watch and admire their creation take shape, before they returned to the heavens.

"According to our own legends, any place the Goddesses gather is imbued with their power. You know of the legend of the forming of the world?"

Link nodded to me.

"The point at which the Goddesses entered and left this realm is enchanted with power far beyond what anyone could dream of. It was power enough to create the Triforce."

"So what are you saying, Zelda?"

"It is my belief that this 'World's Point' carries more magic still. Their legend states that the Goddesses actually walked the land here, their blessed feet touching the ground. The power that they could have passed to the land would make Ganondorf's highest power seem like mere trickery."

"But what good does that do me?" he asked.

"Imagine it as a link to the Goddesses. I believe, if one of true spirit were to stand on that Point and pray to the Goddesses, they would listen to it with open hearts."

I knew what I was saying, but I scarcely believed it myself. Could I really be suggesting he take me seriously?

(~^~)

A point in the world that linked this realm to the Goddesses themselves, was it even possible?

I convinced myself that it could quite easily be; the Goddesses held power that no one, not even Zelda, could imagine. They were Goddesses, after all. They radiated power wherever they went.

So, what if? What if I journeyed to this World's Point and prayed? Would my words reach the Goddesses? Would they answer?

To me, it seemed like my best option. The Goddesses had laid out my purpose when they chose me; who else would know where I would go from here?

Zelda sighed and looked at me. "Link, please understand that what I have told you is but a legend, and only my interpretation of it. For all I know, my thoughts are completely wrong and in fact the Point does not exist."

I understood her words, yet they changed nothing. Part of bearing the Triforce was to understand that even explicit solutions could be proven wrong. There was a risk that any action would fail. Perhaps belief was the key to them succeeding; what I had been through on my quest, a lot of it was hear-say knowledge, and yet _she_ had believed it with such power that it seemed to make it true.

"I'll do it," I said finally.

(~^~)

I had expected nothing less from Link, though I still felt some unease when he told me. His eyes had changed again; now, they burned with one thing, something I had seen before.

The desire of adventure.

To me, it seemed like Link didn't care if his journey was fruitful. Perhaps it was the journey itself that he needed. It was perhaps a reason why he felt so lost – his journeys now carried no greater purpose.

"Link, you can probably guess what I am about to tell you. A legend like this would hardly go unnoticed."

(~^~)

Zelda's words were heavy again. "Naturally, the World's Point has been sought by uncountable adventurers for centuries, maybe millennia. In all this time, none have returned from their journey. Not one. Thousands of men, lost on a quest to discover what may not even exist."

She was right; I had guessed this catch was here. I felt a smile break my lips.

She noticed and continued, "But of course, that won't stop you, will it? " She was smiling as well, now. This only widened mine.

"Of course not!" If anything, it made me want to go more. Be the first known person to reach it. And with any luck, make it back to tell the tale.

Zelda looked down at her hands in her lap. "Your heart is now set?" She said, as if trying to persuade me not to. We both knew it wouldn't work.

"Yes," I said solemnly. The air became serious.

"Then, I have a gift for you, to take with you on your journey. I believe you may find it useful."

Zelda stood from the floor and went to a cabinet at the side of the room. She opened it and pulled from it a box. There was nothing remarkable about the box, but I could sense something sinister about it. She brought it over to me and placed it before me. She sat opposite, with the box between us, and looked into my eyes.

"The castle guards found this in the field, not long after we defeated Ganondorf. They wished to destroy it because of what it represents, but I refused, as it might have proven useful. In truth, I knew it to be significant to you, and it is for you that I kept it."

I was forming a guess about what was in the box. But I wouldn't know until I opened it. So, I lifted the lid.

I gasped, unable to believe my eyes at what I saw.

Different-sized pieces of what appeared to be broken stone.

Broken, carved stone.

"Is this…?" I asked Zelda, my skin crawling at the very thought.

"Yes, Link. It's hers."

I gazed back into the box. My eyes met with a piece that gazed back at me. It was a piece of stone carved in the shape of an eye. It could only be…

"The fourth Fused Shadow," I whispered. Zelda nodded.

That was all it took. It all came rushing back. I saw the stone whole, as it was meant to be. A helmet.

And then fresh tears came to my eyes as I saw a being wearing that helmet.

A dark-skinned, intensely magical creature. A creature of scathing wit and fiery personality. A creature for which my feelings ran deeper than I had ever known.

_It was Midna's helmet._

My eyes flowed with tears, but I felt no need to cry. I had just said her name, if only in my mind, for the first time in six months. Maybe…Maybe I had accepted it now. I knew I loved her, I knew she loved me.

Perhaps this was a symbol of that. It was a piece of her life she had left behind.

Zelda reached into the box and pulled out the piece that resembled the eye. "I have gone through every piece, and I can still feel magic in this one. There may be quite some power still in it, dormant, waiting for its release. Who knows; maybe this magic will help you on your journey." She passed me the eye.

I felt the strangest sensation. It was both dark and light at once, menacing and friendly. The helmet itself was bittersweet; the last time I had seen it, Evil Embodied had crushed it in his hands, a trophy of his kill. That single moment, what had led to it being like this, was what drove me to defeat him. That feeling came rushing back, mixing with the love I felt for Midna. It was the most confusing emotion I had ever felt, hatred, emptiness, drive and love as one. As I turned the eye to look into it, I felt my hand grow warm.

Before, when I had cursed the Goddesses, I had felt searing heat in my hand, as though I had been branded with the Triforce mark. But now, I felt a power moving in it. It was not a reminder as to who I was; the mark's own magic was awakening.

I didn't break my stare. I felt the stare of the eye looking back into me. It looked right into my being as I looked right into it. I could feel its dark energy searching me. My Triforce grew warmer, as though trying to fight back with light. And yet I could not break off the stare.

I was just about aware of Zelda's gasp, but nothing could break my gaze.

(~^~)

In fitting with the theme of the day, I could not believe what I was seeing. Link and the piece of the broken Shadow were locked in an unbreakable stare. I could sense the Shadow magic, a feeling of darkness and I thought with horror about my dream. Was this how it began, darkness reaching out to swallow light?

But then I felt it change. The Shadow wasn't seeking light in the room. My horror returned when I felt its magic reach into Link, searching for _his_ light! Yet, try as I did, I could not say anything. The Shadow did not seem to be hurting him, nor affecting him at all.

What made me gasp was not what was happening between Link and the Shadow, but with the rest of the Shadow. In the boxes, I caught sight of movement, and looked down to feel fear flood me.

All of the pieces of the Shadow were moving. They were twitching as if invisible strings attached to them were being pulled. At the same time, I felt the exchange of magic between Link and the Shadow rise.

All at once, it happened.

All of the pieces simply leapt from the box.

I jumped to my feet and backed away.

Link simply sat there as though oblivious to the frightening events.

The pieces rushed over to him.

For a split-second, I felt sure they were attacking him, but then they all stopped at the same time.

I watched in unrivalled awe as the pieces began to seek out their places in the Shadow.

_It began to reassemble before my eyes!_

The pieces floated in the air, separated slightly from each other, as though showing the make-up of the Shadow. It was complete; no pieces had been missed. But it was still in pieces.

And then, as my awe reached unknown heights, the pieces closest to the eye slammed together. And it didn't stop there.

Spreading outwards from the eye, the stone connected itself together, forming around Link's hand, from the helmet's rim right to the tip of the horns.

When the last piece attached itself, Link's trance was broken. He looked at the reformed helmet in his hand, gasped and looked at me.

"What happened?" We both said in unison.

(~^~)

I was the most surprised of both of us, as I hadn't seen what happened. It was as if the gaze I shared with the eye blocked out all other light from my eyes. All I could see was the eye; all I felt was the mixing of two powers. Light and darkness had flowed between it and me, and then it had suddenly broken and I could see again. Then I felt the weight of the stone helmet, and realised what had happened.

I could not explain how it happened; maybe Zelda would be able to provide at least a guess. However, I could now feel that Shadow magic without looking at it. Yet it was not as menacing as I had felt it before. It did not seek out my light, but simply sat there, as if to announce its presence.

_Almost as if it wants me to use it…_

"Link… this is impossible…" Zelda breathed, in a voice that said 'this goes against all I believe in.'

"But it's happened," I said finally. I held the Shadow in two hands and turned it around, examining the intricate details. It had been made with care, long ago, and imbued with the most powerful magic the Twili ancestors could give. Its weight was quite something; I thought about Midna, how she wore this… this boulder on her head! Maybe some magic surrounded it when worn that made it weightless.

Zelda finally awoke from her thoughts. "It must be the Triforce, Link!" She concluded. "Ganondorf could not possibly have broken it without his; something like this carries too much power to be broken by such means. Its magic must have been buried inside, and your Triforce awoke it!"

"But you bear the Triforce too," I said, "and nothing like this happened for you, right?"

"No, but I had no connection to it! It could have sensed I was just someone examining it, and such a powerful magical object would hide from those seeking to study it. No, you have your connection to Midna; only you or her could have done this."

"How much magic do you think it possesses?" I asked, rightfully curious.

Zelda turned deadly serious. "You have seen the power of the Shadows first-hand, Link. One of the guards watched you breach the castle's defensive barrier; all they could describe was a tiny imp morphing into a giant, golden monster and breaking open the barrier with a spear made of light. If this Shadow contains only a quarter of that power…"

I looked at it. It didn't feel that powerful. "I don't think it holds that much magic, Zelda. Midna wore this helmet for most of our journey and wasn't able to perform serious magic."

"What could she do?" Zelda said her curiosity piqued.

"She could levitate herself, warp us between portals, create small ones and reach out to mark our enemies so I could attack them. There were times when I thought I could feel her frustration that she had no more power to use."

"Her own magic was greatly weakened in her imp form. Perhaps she couldn't harness its true potential," Zelda suggested.

"Yet, she managed to use all four to break the seal on the castle," I pressed.

"True. In all truth Link, I don't kno-what are you doing?!" She exclaimed.

I was lifting the Shadow to my head without realising. It was as though the Shadow was calling me, telling me to put it on…

"Whoa," I shook my head and lowered my hands. Perhaps donning this object now, especially inside, would be a bad idea. I placed it on the ground, opened my pack wide, picked up the Shadow and placed it inside. Zelda looked surprised when she saw the pack had no bulge. "One of Midna's gifts. She enchanted my pack so I could carry everything I needed. She realised when we escaped the dungeon that I had left a lot of my equipment behind, and when she tried to carry it all… well, it was a lot easier to pack it all in a bag first, then simply stow the bag with her when I changed form."

I opened the pack to show her. She leaned forward and gazed down into a bag the size of a small room. Everything sat neatly among the darkness, all easy to reach, and despite my jostling of the bag or moving its fabric, the things inside stayed perfectly still. Right in the middle was the Shadow. I showed her how what was in it made no difference to its weight; it was heavy enough that I knew it was there, but light enough that it would not slow my moves.

"Amazing. I wish I'd asked for one," she said with a smile. "Wait, what's this?" She continued, reaching into the bag. I ran through what I kept in it; food, spare clothes, arrows, bow-

Oh no.

As she drew it out I snatched it from her.

"Be careful with this!" I warned her.

It was exactly what I expected – a small bundle of black cloth, about the size of my fist.

"What is it?" She said, slightly worried.

"Nothing dangerous – to me, that is. I don't know what it could do to you…." I trailed off as I lifted the folds of the cloth to expose the inside.

"Is that-?"

"Yes, it's the crystal." From the black folds, the Shadow Crystal seemed so harmless. It was ornate and in ways beautiful, orange details ran around its black whole, but something about it always unnerved me. It seemed to simply absorb light; it was impossible to look at it properly, except in the Twilight, where it could be seen clearly. Granted, it was magic given form.

I always carried it with me. To me, it was a symbol of another me, a free, wild creature that could never be tamed. It was the key to my wolf form; one touch anywhere on my body would send me into it. I had never used it since the quest, though I always kept it in my pack. I guessed I was still hoping for that little imp to return, the rider returning to her steed…

"I kept it in case I needed it," I lied. "I can do things as a wolf I can't do as a Hylian."

"You say that like it's just a tool, like your clawshot," Zelda said playfully. She'd seen through me. "You love your wolf form but without her, it's not the same, right?"

Was I so easy to read?

(~^~)

I remembered the first time I saw Link. Though I didn't know then, when Midna led that blue-eyed beast into my room, I could tell it wasn't a normal wolf. He didn't walk like a wolf; he walked like a man pretending to be a wolf. And he understood my words. And, however faint, he bore the Triforce symbol on his forehead. It was this that told me he was no wolf.

The Triforce had done it; it had adapted to the Twilight, sought out a way to keep him in a physical form so that he could fight it. When it had found a way, it kept to it. It seemed Courage couldn't keep up with Wisdom, though; my Triforce had showed me how to keep my body stable in the Twilight. Not that it was any help; as soon as Zant saw I could still affect the world, he had me placed under heavy guard. It took all the magic of the Triforce to prevent me from becoming a spirit, and despite my inability to act, staying where I was, within the core of the corruption, seemed to be the best option. Doubtless, if I had allowed myself to become a spirit, I would not have been able to guide Link and Midna, nor to help her…

With time, keeping my Hylian form became easier; my Triforce was able to channel light straight into my being. It was crude, but it kept the Twilight from consuming me. When Midna came to me, nearing death, I saw a way to save her and help her at the same time; by channelling that same light into her body as I healed her, she adapted to the light and could survive outside Link's shadow. But it took everything I had to save her; I needed to save myself, so I used the last of my power to hide my body in a safe place and merge our souls. I would remain alive within her, and though I could observe her actions, I could not act, nor could she detect I was even there. I just prayed to the Goddesses that the time would be right for me to retake my physical form.

When Ganondorf saw I was missing, he used his power to recall me, though he could only retrieve my empty body. It burned me to see him possess my pure body like that, but I could do nothing but pray for Link's success. I cringed at every hit my body took, but when Ganon was beaten, I felt the time was perfect. There was enough magic in the area that I could separate our souls and return to my own body. If Ganondorf had not retrieved it, it would likely have taken Midna days to even work out what I had done. The magic required to revive me might have been beyond her.

And what of the final battle with Ganondorf? What if I had not been there to help Link? Had the circumstances not been just as perfect as they were, Ganondorf could so easily have killed me as well.

_All this to try and change her mind…_

It was for this reason that I believed in the Goddesses. All of these things had happened perfectly; there were no accidents, no coincidences, only the will of the Goddesses that events would turn out only the way they wished. My selfish act of changing Midna was all part of their plan, just like everything else that happened.

If only Link could see this…

(~^~)

Though I had rambled on for several minutes about how magnificent it was to be a wolf, I finally realised Zelda had not listened to a word I had said. I frowned, but thought nothing more of it.

The night was beginning, and finally Zelda came out of her thoughts. Realising the time, she offered me a room for the night. She knew I would begin my journey as soon as I could; nothing could stop me when I had a mission. I accepted her offer, and she directed Pellen to show me my room.

* * *

**The adventure will begin soon; I've almost finished Chapter 6, and if you want to beta-read it for me, drop me a line, especially if you can't wait for it to be published!  
See you next time!**


	7. Chapter 6: Beyond Hylian

**OK, time for Link to have some fun! I'm not totally convinced by my style in this chapter, but it matches up with where the story's going, though it does break the emotional themes a bit. However, I think Link's earned a little break!**  
**I've actually written several later chapters and know exactly where I want this story to go; some I am really pleased with and cannot wait to upload. However, Link's about to go on a fairly long journey and that will take me quite a while to write; Chapter 7's not even a third done. I'll keep working over Christmas as I have lots of free time and am really enjoying this.  
Also, I'm really sorry about asking for beta-readers last chapter and then not taking up offers. I was feeling a little unconfident, ironically, because the story's been going so well! I'm gonna try and keep my confidence up and keep updating. I might ask again if I'm really stuck on something, but I really thank those who offered. Also, thanks to all who are reviewing regularly and who've alerted this story! Much appreciated!  
Usual Disclaimer: I wish I owned the Legend of Zelda series, but I don't; this is the product of my imagination, though I own all original characters and the plot.  
Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 6  
Beyond Hylian

The 'guest room' was furnished like the rest of the castle.

Extravagantly.

The bed was the size of my bedroom.

The room that held it the combined floor space of my house.

Everything in the room was exquisite silver or gold. A roaring fire took up the fireplace. This was a room for the Royal Family's guests of greatest honour.

I felt humble being there. Did Zelda truly feel I was worth it? Despite all her insistence, and everything I'd said earlier, I still didn't feel right being here. I was used to so much _less_. I had led such a simple life that even staying here felt strange.

_But after everything you've done, you deserve this,_ that little voice said. The voice that said I should stop living for other people and start living for myself for a change.

Maybe I should. After all, this was paradise!

I couldn't sleep, though. Much as I tried, the thoughts I had gone through today swept through my mind like waves. As soon as I had thought through one, I was rushed by another. It kept going on and on until I could feel the earliness of the morning. I knew I would get no sleep, and though I had much travelling to do, I had ways of recovering.

I could simply trust the power of the Triforce to aid me, use one of many potions I had collected, if I was desperate a fairy would come to my aid…

Then I remembered – I could not go straight away. I was hardly prepared.

This journey would be long, and there was no telling just what I would encounter. I would need the various things I had amassed on my quest, for I was beginning a new one.

I would need the key.

I smiled as I thought of where I had left it. Not only was the place nearly impossible to reach, but it was hidden so well that I doubted anyone would ever even know it was there.

I decided to put my wakeful mind to use and go retrieve it. I dressed and silently left the castle grounds.

As I neared the stables, I suddenly realised I could not do this. Epona would be fast asleep, and she deserved her rest. I could not tire her before our journey had even begun.

I stopped to reconsider my plan.

At this hour, there were no other ways to get to Lake Hylia. I would have to wait until sunrise, at the earliest.

_No, there is a way…_

I froze. That voice spoke inside my mind, and it was not one of the many I had gone through recently. It was so... dark…

I looked into my pack. There, in the centre, was the Fused Shadow. Even as I looked at it, it seemed to call to me. I knew it was where that voice had come from.

Zelda had said it held great power, but I guessed one would have to know exactly what one was doing to harness it fully. Wasn't that how magic worked?

What if I just… tried it?

_No! It's incredibly dangerous, even Zelda won't touch it! And SHE knows how to use the magic in the first place!_

But what about a small trial - a test of whether or not I could use magic? If I can't, then nothing will happen.

_And risk your life if something does?_

What else is new?

I gave in. Why not? I had been able to reassemble it; maybe I was supposed to use it…

I hid from the view of anyone who might see me, and made my way out of the castle via the waterways. As I emerged in Hyrule Field, I checked I was alone. By staying perfectly still, I would not rouse the monsters that dwelt below the ground. Even so, I had my sword and shield.

I set the pack quietly on the ground and opened it. I drew out the Shadow with both hands and looked into its flat, stone 'face.' Every single detail reminded me of her; separated as we were by a dimensional barrier, I had never felt closer to her. This was a piece of her life she had left behind, even if she had not meant to. It was the last part of her in this realm, and it was now in my hands.

Perhaps Zelda had a point – destiny did have a habit of occurring around here.

I re-focussed on the stone. _Wear me! _It seemed to demand.

I knew it could go wrong, but hopefully I would be the only one it wronged. And if I could harness its magic, well it was a worthy risk.

I lifted the helmet to my head and allowed it to lower around me. It stopped at my eye-level, and perfectly blocked my left eye. Around my right, I could see the edges of the stone.

I removed my hands, expecting the weight of the Shadow to crash down around my head. Instead, it seemed to hold itself in place; it wasn't weightless, but neither was it about to settle around my neck.

For several moments, I felt nothing. I had expected to just _know_ I had one of the most powerful magical objects around my head. Instead, I felt like a fool wearing a strange mask.

And then something happened.

Slowly, ever so slowly, the sight returned to my left eye. It was as if I were seeing through water, which gradually dried up. The front of the Shadow became as glass and I could see perfectly; I even stopped being able to see its stone edges in my right eye.

The magic was awakening. I could feel the darkness starting to flow around me. The feeling was neither in me nor out around me; it was as if I wore a cloak of this dark energy. It thickened slightly, and I felt it wrap around my body, covering my arms and legs. When I felt my body covered in invisible energy, I felt it vanish. Was that it?

I moved my arm. Nothing. No resistance, no energy to it. I touched my other arm; I could feel the warmth of my skin through my clothes.

Perhaps I needed to activate it with my mind?

I concentrated on a tree not far away; Midna had been able to extend her hair in an ethereal hand to manipulate distant objects. She did this so casually, it seemed like an easy power to start with.

I envisioned reaching out and grasping it, not with my hands, but with my head. Maybe my hair would grow out by itself…

Nothing happened. No response from the Shadow.

Then I realised it was quite a complex action; to create and manipulate magic like that. I was probably approaching it wrong. Maybe start off even simpler.

Think – what did Midna do that seemed so easy…

Got it! Levitating!

I focussed on myself, imagined floating off the ground. I imagined feeling my feet leave the field, imagined being in the air itself.

I felt the Triforce warm on my hand. Its magic was coming into service again. It seemed to act as a gateway; it channelled my thoughts to the Shadow, controlling the dark magic for me. As I kept the image in my mind, ever so slowly, I felt the cloak wrap around me again. It clung to every contour of my body. It moved over me, as if unsure what to do…

'Levitate me!'I commanded.

That was it. I felt the magic move to my boots, and then felt them lift…

I almost cried out in shock as my boots parted company with the ground. The magic felt good, easy to control. As I rose into the air, I tried to lift myself higher, and found it surprisingly simple to control my height. With little effort, I could float just over an acorn, or look down on the tree from which it dropped.

I smiled; this was fun!

As I experimented with this newfound skill, I found that although I was floating above the ground, I still felt heavy.

'Make me weightless!'

The Shadow obeyed. In moments I felt my weight vanish. With nothing to pull me back to the field, I concentrated my power on moving myself. It was easier still. With one thought I sent myself shooting high into the night sky. When I looked down at the field and saw the bridge as a mere twig over the pencil-thin stream, I almost lost my focus and faltered before I caught myself. With care, I forced myself back to ground level. Now at a safer height, I imagined moving around.

I felt as if a dark, invisible hand was simply pushing me forwards. I floated over the ground toward the stream. A little more practise, and the feeling of being pushed vanished. Now I simply commanded the Shadow to move me to a spot and it did without question.

I brought myself back to the entrance to the waterways and focussed on my landing. Maybe I was floating too high, maybe I didn't think through my command enough, but I landed heavily from a greater height than I should have, and made a loud scuffing sound as I hit the ground.

I froze. Someone could easily have heard that.

Someone, or rather something, did. The ground not ten feet from me moved and unleashed a skeletal beast. Though I had seen these many times, I had always had speed on my side; I was either a wolf, or on horseback. With a simple dash, they were left in my dust, and I would not have to fight them.

But now I would have to. I knew I couldn't activate the Shadow in time to fly away. My hand went for my sword, but the beast lurched for me. I had no time to even raise my shield…

SMASH!

As I watched, a flash of purple pummelled the collection of bones to a pile on the ground before me. I had my hands before my face, yet I could see through them with both eyes. And as I ran through what just happened, the bones disappearing back into the earth, I realised that the burst of purple came from the same place as my hands rested…

_Did I just use Twili magic?!_

I heard no response, but somehow felt the answer was positive. The Shadow seemed to pulse in agreement. I had channelled its magic to defend myself. Conceivably, I could also attack with the same energy, but I shooed the thought away. I would not get out of my depth here; this was something I had to control. Learning to channel the magic to attack would only lead to trouble.

For an hour or so I experimented with the Shadow magic, trying to duplicate Midna's abilities, if only with limits. It was not long before I was able to move through air as Midna could, as naturally as walking on the ground. I found I could reach out from the Shadow with my sight and see objects far away, as if through a Hawkeye. The hair still eluded me.

As light began to creep over the horizon, I realised I was still here. Was I ready? Could I really do what I had always needed Midna for?

_Move myself far away in an instant?_

I knew the warp portals were still here; they were smaller than they had been. I guessed that closing the connection to the Twilight world (the thought pained me slightly) had weakened them. They were only visible to those who knew what they were looking for; not even Zelda could see them, I guessed, otherwise she would surely have questioned why one such portal lay at the end of the West road into Hyrule Castle Town.

I began thinking of Lake Hylia; I could see it as if I was there. I thought of the island over which the portal hung; I thought of my body breaking down into tiny black squares, everything going dark momentarily before light met my eyes in a new place.

The Shadow responded, but uncertainly; I felt its power wash over me, as though trying to obey, but something was stopping it…

Maybe I had to be a wolf for a reason?

Yes, that had to be it. I had never really thought about it, but I guessed Midna simply changed me into a wolf for fun; it was how we started portal travel, why break a habit? But no, it had to be the key! I was smaller as a wolf, and held more magic of my own; perhaps they both made portal travel possible…

I reached into my pack and retrieved the crystal. I unravelled the bundle and was poised to touch it when I realised I would be unable to pick it up again. At least, not without turning back. I gazed at the crystal momentarily, before placing it back in my pack, the slightest fragment of the end showing. With that, I brushed my finger against the edge.

It all came back to me. I had not felt like this in six months; the indescribable feeling as my body morphed into its new form. It was amazing and unpleasant at once.

I fell forward and landed on all four paws. My knees reversed to allow me to run. My hands withdrew as flowers out of sunlight, my fingers shortening and my nails becoming as steel daggers. My thumbs made their way further up my legs. And then I choked as my chest grew in size to accommodate the massive lungs of the wolf, then my breath released as my lungs expanded to fill the space. My spine became supple and I stretched my neck as my head rearranged, my jaw and nose stretching out to form my snout. My head became flatter and sharper, my eyes moving to gain better vision, my ears rising to the top of my head and twitching by themselves. Finally, fur blossomed out of me, covering my new body. I shook my head, feeling my fur flow like liquid around me.

Freedom once again.

I wagged my tail – I had my tail back!

Even more interesting was my pack – it was still slung around my neck. I realised Midna would usually take my pack from me just before she transformed me, and carry it in her Twili pockets. I shifted around and managed to place the pack on my back – I could swear my back was dented in, as if some small, magical creature had continuously landed on the same spot a little too hard…

I didn't mind now. My pack sat perfectly on that spot; not only was it hard to shift without effort, I could close my eyes and almost pretend my little companion was still there…

Then I opened my eyes and caught sight of a problem.

When I had transformed, it seemed I had left something behind. The Fused Shadow sat on the ground before me, on its side. Evidently, wolves couldn't wear helmets…

_Damn._

That's why I needed Midna; she had to wear the helmet to control the warp…

I snarled. Defeated.

I twisted my back, allowing the back to fall to the ground. Just as I opened it, I heard that little voice again. That ghostly, dark voice…

_There is another way…_

I spun around to face the Shadow so fast my tail trimmed several flowers behind me.

'How?' I thought as loud as I could.

_Focus your magic on me,_ the Shadow responded.

'How can I hear you?'

_My power is your power. I serve those who serve the Twili. You are not Twili, yet you fight in their name. I will grant you use of my power so long as that cause is with you. Keep me close._

It would usually worry me that I was having a silent conversation with a piece of stone. Then again, compared to what else I had done this year, this was quite normal.

I considered what it had said and decided to test it; I reached out with my thoughts, directing them at the Shadow on the ground.

'Levitate me then!' I commanded it.

Without further delay, I felt my weight leave and my body supported by Shadow magic.

I was quite glad the Sun had not yet risen; for a weary traveller to stumble across a wolf flying through the air would have probably left him questioning the state of his own mind. Still, I could get used to this; I didn't even need to wear the Shadow now! As long as I kept it close-

Kept it close?

Uh-oh.

I had strayed a little too far away from the Shadow on the ground; all too late, I felt its magic fall away from me like a blanket being pulled away. With nothing to support me, I fell helplessly into the stream, sending plumes of water everywhere.

The cold bath woke me up. Maybe I should concentrate more when I'm using magic beyond my comprehension. I swam to the land and shook myself dry. OK, that was something I enjoyed. It didn't matter how wet I got; a few seconds of shaking would have me comfortably dry. In my Hylian form, I would have needed several minutes and a towel. Perhaps animals weren't so far beneath us…

I smiled as well as a wolf could, then formed my plan. I needed to be in wolf form to warp, but I would need the Shadow to get back here. I went to the pack, still on the ground where I had slipped out of it when I flew again, and rummaged inside for the crystal.

One swipe against my paw and I felt the power change me again. I threw myself up from my front paws with force, enough that my legs could come forward to catch me, and stood upright as my fur rapidly disappeared and my clothes returned. I went to the Shadow, picked it up and stared into its eye.

I felt its magic extend to me again.

'Will your magic work inside my pack?' I thought at it.

_Its magic is of Twili origin. It will work._

'Can you warp me to Lake Hylia?'

_To travel between portals, imagine yourself standing beneath your chosen destination. Do not waver in your image for even a second._

I nodded at the Shadow and placed it into the pack. I slung it over my shoulder again and reached inside to brush the crystal.

In seconds I was feral again. I reached out with my thoughts, trying to direct them into the pack. I thought as I did earlier, of the island beneath the portal. I imagined myself standing there and looking around. I felt it pulling me to it…

From the pack, the dark magic washed over my body, not touching my fur at all. I ignored it, focussed on the image of Lake Hylia. The magic worked with the Triforce; I used the magic of light to keep my battle-like focus on the image, and it commanded the Shadow magic. Even as I felt my body breaking apart, my thoughts did not wander. If it worked, I could celebrate later.

A moment passed and everything went dark.

A moment passed and everything went light. I opened my eyes.

Patches of blue and green hit my eyes. Even though I had not moved, I began to pant as though I had dashed across Kakariko. I felt so tired it was some seconds before the world came into focus. Finally, I could see.

I stood on a patch of thick grass, in the centre of a massive body of blue.

Ha! I had made it! I could warp myself! I directed a thank-you at the Shadow on the pack as I slid it to the ground, searching for the crystal. I changed back into a human and looked around.

Lake Hylia was as I remembered it; a cluster of tiny islands, tall cliffs and a giant structure to the west. Fyer's cannon. Behind me, I remembered another cannon, and turned to see the almighty machine that I had used to send myself up to the City in the Sky. It didn't matter how many times I used one, I convinced myself, travel by cannon is NOT something one can get used to! It's a CANNON, after all!

Even so, I would be using one to reach my key.

Fyer was awake. Dawn broke a little earlier on Lake Hylia than in Hyrule Castle, probably because of the shape of the land. I walked casually over to him.

"Well I'll be… Link, old fella!" He beamed at me. "I haven't seen you in ages! How have you been?"

"Oh, up and down, amazing how dull normality is," I said idly. I didn't want to bore him with what I'd been through recently.

"Well, if you ever see normality around this place, tell it to get over here and stay a while," he replied with a grin. "Now you mentioned up and down, you here for a ride?"

Well played, Fyer. Well played.

"Yeah, I'll just take the standard blast up to the cabin, thanks."

"Got yer ten Rupees?"

I withdrew a ten-Rupee gem from my purse. "You'd think I'd get a discount for being such a good customer."

"Well, you probably are the only one who keeps coming back. I dunno why… I mean, why wouldn't someone come back for more if I sent them into Gerudo, eh?" We laughed as he took the gem and beckoned me into the machine. The darkness enveloped me as he closed the hatch; I heard the corny music from his priming machine, and felt the structure move, carrying me with it. From above my head, I saw the daylight sweep by. Then the machine stopped. And that's when the fear set in.

'What am I doing?' I thought, pulling my arms to my chest.

BOOM!

It was over in seconds.

Several pounds of flameless explosive detonated beneath me. The rush of air blasted me out of the barrel at speed, out of the darkness and into the daylight. I wasn't going as fast as the desert trip, but heck, I still yelled in fear and thrill as I flew through the air.

Fyer's aim remained the same. Moments after I had entered the cannon, I bent my legs to land gracefully on the landing platform outside the cabin.

No, there was NO way I could get used to that. I preferred warping to cannon travel any day.

I shook myself to regain my mind, then went inside the cabin. Falbi greeted me.

"Hey, it's our best customer! How're you, Link?"

"Oh, life's a bit… ballistic recently…"

We laughed as I climbed down the ladder. Two bad cannon jokes in one day. I vowed to stop there.

"So, you here for a Cucco Tour?" He said, indicating the birds scratching around the floor.

"Yeah, it's all I actually came for, actually."

"But you ended up taking the cannon to get up here? Ha, well it's your lucky day. Just for you, thrill-seeker, I'll let you take the Cucco Tour for just five Rupees as you're such a great customer!"

Finally, some good luck. This would be my third Tour; once, the first time Lake Hylia had been restored, when I had scouted the place from the air, the second when I had placed the key and now I would retrieve it.

I tossed the gem to Falbi and he opened the gate out into the air. I chose Emsed, a white Cucco, as my steed. Emsed clucked and flapped wildly as I carried her to the gate, but she knew what would happen next. Falbi made sure of this and gave us a hard push out into nothingness.

I was always amazed at how strong these birds were. These animals seemed destined to just wander around all day, eat and lay eggs, yet they could carry heavy Hylians when called to serve. We fell a few metres before Emsed caught us and I guided her towards the target.

Out in the middle of the lake was the spinning platform on which Falbi had placed the grand prize, a one-hundred-Rupee piece. It wasn't this I was interested in, but I went for it anyway. The platform whirled around, powered by one of Fyer's machines. It took great skill and timing to land upon. I chose my moment, prepared and threw myself from my flying steed.

For me, it was the easiest way. I fell through the air like a stone. Now would not be the time to discover I had failed my estimates, but they seemed right. Even if I had, it was simply water below me; I had plenty of time to move into a dive if I failed.

Instead, I bent my legs and my boots landed hard on the platform. I stumbled, grabbing the chest for support as I regained my balance. In the distance, I heard Falbi cheer for me. In retrospect, I knew of a cheat; a small switch on the cabin's roof would shut off Fyer's machine and stop the platform, but where was the challenge in that? Plus, it made it look like I really wanted to end up here.

I was finally able to stand. I blocked out the spinning landscape for fear of making myself ill. OK, for that reason alone, I could have shut it down, but it didn't matter now. Next, I opened the chest.

I'd had this chest open once before; inside was the orange one-hundred-Rupee gem. Ha, not one I needed. I held nearly one thousand gems in my wallet; this one wouldn't even fit. I was more interested in the rest of the contents. I removed the wooden holder the gem sat in and turned it over.

Fixed to the underside was the key.

The key to my other life.

I'd thought this through quite well. This place was far enough away that I could avoid being tempted. It took considerable effort to reach this chest, and if anyone else reached it, they would be far too preoccupied with the prize to even think of looking for this key. And then, up until the moment I gained the key, I would be ordinary Link, whatever he was. Now, with the key, I could be the adventurer again.

I placed the key inside my pack and decided to make a quick exit. Falbi had turned to go back inside, and Fyer wasn't even facing my way. I decided to have one last bit of fun. I changed into a wolf, and then leapt from the platform.

The instant I jumped, I felt out with my power and commanded the Shadow to warp. I imagined the Ordon spring, its life-giving light, its healing waters, its beautiful green surroundings… I thought only of that place as the water of the lake rushed up to meet me.

Fyer would probably laugh it off as another day when he saw a massive shape plummet from the platform, yet saw no splash emerge from the water.

My skill was growing. My body pieced itself together as I landed heavily in the waters of the spring. I expected to feel a weight hit my back that would wind me, let out a small laugh and I would growl in reply. But it did not happen. All that I felt was the dead weight of my pack. Would I ever see her again? It wasn't likely. I couldn't tell at that point if I knew either way; I seemed to accept that she was gone, and this could all be for nothing, but another part of me revelled in hope, that beyond the mountains there was an answer. Maybe the Goddesses could tell me what to do. If World's Point was anything more than a myth, of course…

I returned to two legs and looked around. The spring was still deserted. The gates were locked. And though I could have simply relaxed and made my way home, I knew I could not bump into Ilia. She would need much more time before she could even accept what I had done, much less see it as a natural thing, like I did. No, I needed to avoid her. To run into her now would only make things worse.

I walked out of the water, feeling refreshed and whole, and shook the water from my boots. I pulled the Shadow from my pack and donned it. This time, my sight remained clear. I told it what I wished, and it allowed my vision to leave my body, floating over the gates and into the lane linking Ordon and the bridge. I looked around, twisting my invisible, ghostly head. The bridge was empty, but a figure was approaching from the village. I moved closer. As it came into focus, I saw with horror that it was Ilia! No doubt the spring was her destination. I had to move.

I pulled my sight back into my head and removed the Shadow, placing it in my pack as I ran to the hillside that surrounded the spring. I looked among the plants and flowers until I found the tunnel and dived in. Seconds later I heard the gates unlock.

I could neither turn to look behind me, nor reach into my pack for the Shadow. I _wanted_ to see her, no matter how bad it was, but I knew I had to move on. I wanted this visit to be fast; I wished to be seen by no one. And so, with Ilia at the side of the water, I scurried through the tunnel and reached its end. I hauled myself out of the tunnel into the lane.

I wore the Shadow as I walked along. It allowed me to enhance my senses, almost like my wolf form, but without losing my vision. It let me _feel _whenever people were near me, and gave me much warning when I wished to hide from them.

I met no one as I trekked to my house. I entered it quickly and quietly, drawing no attention. Just as I expected, the house was empty. The jar of mead was still on the table, with the two cups I had neglected to clean. Oh well.

I clambered down into my basement. I lit the lantern I had left there, flooding the area with light. Most of the space was empty, but there was a large mirror at one end, and in a corner, the large chest.

I brought the lantern over to it and set it down. I reached into the pack, avoided the crystal and found the key. I placed it in the lock, twisted it and pushed open the lid.

My memories became so vivid as I saw my connection to Link the Adventurer. All laid out neatly in the chest were my tools, equipment, potions, weapons and, neatly folded in the centre, my tunic. I was slightly surprised I still had it; it had appeared from nowhere when I restored the first Light Spirit. The Goddesses had supposedly bequeathed it to me, and without realising I was instantly dressed in it. I removed the garb from the chest and held it to my face.

The various smells remained despite a thorough wash. I could smell the open fields, the dark caves, the intricate temples and the eerie dungeons. It brought it all back – I was there, riding Epona across Hyrule Field, working my way through Faron Woods, rescuing monkeys from their captors and recovering ancient relics.

This tunic was another me. The other me that was the true Hero, not the one who went about being recognised as someone he wasn't. I decided that, on this journey, I would get to know him again.

I placed the tunic on the ground beside me and began unpacking the chest. It seemed like a lifetime ago I had swung from ceilings with my pair of Clawshots, or brought down stalactites with my bomb-arrows. But everything was here, and just touching these items brought back all those memories. I took everything, even the Dominion Rod and Spinner, placing each item neatly into the pack. Even with the amount of space Midna's magic had given me, the pack was now looking quite full. I pulled a few things closer to the edges where I could find them more easily, and made sure fragile things were not in any danger of being broken. Despite Zelda's insistence that the Shadow was too powerful to be breakable, I didn't want to chance the delicate-looking stone, so I did something useful with the Hero's Tunic and wrapped it around the artefact.

Soon, I had everything I had hidden months ago. I shut the empty chest and left the key in it. I extinguished the lantern and clambered up out of the basement. I checked around the house, looking for anything else useful. No, nothing really… Some food? No, I would get some from the castle; I guessed Zelda would be having the cooks prepare plenty for my journey right now.

Then it was settled. There was nothing more to gather; I was ready to return to the castle to begin my journey.

I donned the Shadow and took a look outside my house. No one around, and no one coming from either way. I took the opportunity to check on the Spring; as I pushed my vision out, I saw the gates were still open and the form of Ilia was kneeling at the water's edge. But she wasn't simply kneeling. Her body was moving strangely. I floated around to look at her front.

_She was crying!_

Her hands mopped the tears from her eyes as she silently cried. Some tears dropped into the spring water.

She wasn't just crying, though. I watched her lips move between her hands.

_She was praying to Ordona._

Probably praying for guidance.

Something told me that if I truly focussed, I could hear what she was saying, but I ignored that thought. Prayers were personal. I withdrew my sight back to my house. I shouldn't even have given into my curiosity. Now I had the guilt of what I had done to Ilia on my mind. I had hurt her, turned her world around with one sentence.

But I had no choice. Even though I didn't know I truly loved another then, I knew I didn't love her. To pretend I did would have been even worse. How could I simply fake love? I didn't even know what love was! No, there was no alternative. Either she would have noticed my false love, or I would have had to tell her.

I did the only thing. I let us both move on.

I checked the land was clear again, then left my house. I dropped the Shadow into my pack, nestling it into the tunic, brushed the crystal and thought of Hyrule Castle. I would be there in seconds.

* * *

**What do you think - Link with magic, yay or nay? I hope it's yay, cos the plot's gonna depend on it!  
See you soon! R&R in the mean-time, please!**


	8. Chapter 7: Hero Again

**Can it be? Two updates in one day? Surely not :)  
This one's fresh off the press; it sorta wrote itself from an idea I had floating around. I don't want to call it filler, but I'm still working out how Link gets started. Thankfully, this one renews the emotional turmoil Link's in to give him some drive, plus it's a nice little action scene, I think. It also helps set up for later chapters; there've been a couple of elements I wanted as subplots to Link's journey and this should let those flow in.  
Bonus points to anyone who works out the reference in Link's dive!  
Disclaimer: Legend of Zelda is Nintendo's, plot and extra characters are mine.**

* * *

Chapter 7  
Hero Again

(~^~)

I couldn't sleep again. The Darkness had returned, and it seemed thicker this time. Stronger. More forceful.

I was beginning to worry. These recurring dreams were becoming more prophetic, like memories of a future past. If they were visions of events yet to come, I knew there was no stopping them. They would become true and there was nothing I could do to prevent them.

I made use of my wakefulness and scoured the castle library for any more information on this so-called World's Point. I felt it strange that, since the Goddesses created Hyrule first, our legends carried no mention of this sacred place where the Goddesses walked the earth. It worried me that I had sold this adventure to Link without resistance, and that I could easily be sending him to chase his tail. I smiled; perhaps I would tell him to go as a wolf to complete the vision in my mind.

I carried the stack of books back to my room with difficulty and placed them on my desk with such force I feared I would break it; these books were old and heavy.

For hours, I searched for any reference by the light of the candles. And for hours, I found nothing. As the Sun rose I felt tiredness invade my head but I had no desire to sleep, to immerse myself in those dreams, to drown in darkness…

I had to admit, the Triforce of Courage had its merits. Were I to bear it, I could banish this tiredness in moments. Link hadn't the worst deal, after all. Perhaps I was the worst off; blessed with such knowledge and intellect and yet so powerless to do anything with it. All I could do was discover meanings of what was to come and watch as it came.

Finally, I could concentrate no longer and broke off my search. I took one of the smaller books, a short history of the formation of the land, to Link's room. Perhaps it would prove useful for his journey.

I knocked on his door, only to see it open before me. The room was empty, and all his belongings were gone.

Perhaps he was preparing to leave?

I strode through the castle to the front gates, where I asked the guards of Link. When they told me they had not seen him, I proceeded to the stable just to be sure.

His proud mare was still there, tired but awakening. Where was her rider?

I returned to the castle and made a quick search. The Throne Room, the courtyard and the Grand Hall were just waking up. From the balconies, I could see all the grounds. No Link.

Where had he gone?

(~^~)

"Agh! COLD!" I shouted as my paws touched ground. Well, I tried to shout, but it became a bark. My paws sank into the snow as the wind rippled my fur. By the Goddesses, how did I end up in Snowpeak??

My concentration must have lapsed. I shook my head against the cold and began again. I pictured Hyrule Castle, imagined myself under the portal to the West.

Nothing happened.

'Why can't I warp?' I thought at the Shadow.

The response was weak, as though my ears were blocked.

_You must rest, Hero. Your energy is expended._

Damn.

I'd tried too hard to master the Shadow. My forehead was cold; the magic of the Triforce had been stretched. With a pang of worry, I realised I would be vulnerable until it returned to full strength. Perhaps I could take a detour here.

The wind whirled around my ears as I walked alone away from the portal. I approached the tree, dropped my pack and morphed. The wind cut through my thin Ordon clothes and in seconds I was shivering. I had to get somewhere warm, and fast. Only one place in the area.

My body quaking, I shoulder-charged the tree to bring down the ice. Clutching my shoulder, I ran past the tree to the fallen ice and jumped onto it.

My momentum started it moving. I slid down the hillside on the ice, gaining speed as I approached the bridge. I ducked down, giving myself finer control of the ice board. I skated across the bridge and into the gorge.

The mountain pass was no more difficult than normal, but with the cold all around me I struggled to keep my focus. I avoided the ramps and trees, keeping to the ground. This wasn't time for fun.

I skated through the arch and into the home stretch to the Snowpeak Lodge, or what was left of it. I realised, too late, that I was going far too fast. I tried to slow, but the board grounded out, skidded to a stop and bucked me off. It threw me into the door of the lodge and I blacked out.

I came too a short time later. I was no longer outside, but lying on the sofa in front of a roaring fire, a blanket covering me. I looked around to see Yeta looking at me.

"OO!" She cooed, seeing me wake. "You all right, Link?" She leapt to her feet and came over to me.

"Yeah…" I said heavily. My head hurt like anything; the back of my head and most of my shoulder area ached. When the board had thrown me off, I must have somersaulted into the door. "Yeah, I think I'll be fine."

"You not look good when we find you!" She said. "You knock with hands, not with head!" She reminded me. I laughed quietly.

"I'll try and remember next time," I sighed. My body still hurt; the Triforce was still cold on the back of my hand. I hoped I had not drained it too badly; to lose this would be disaster.

"Why you here?"

"I messed up," I said honestly. "I was trying to warp to Hyrule Castle but I messed it up. I don't know why I ended up here."

"Aww, you come visit us anytime! House not so scary since you came!"

I laughed. This had been one interesting location all right. Lots of jumping, careful timing and smashing ice had gained another mirror shard for us. I guessed that shard was responsible for the strange creatures that ran amok around the mansion. The shard that lay in millions of pieces among the sands of the Arbiter's Grounds…

Just in time to distract me, I smelt a familiar aroma. "Is that Yeto's soup I smell?" I asked her with a grin.

"OO! Yes! Husband cook good soup all time now! You want?" She cooed happily.

"Please! I haven't eaten yet!" I said eagerly. Yeto's soup had fuelled my adventure here before; just before I'd found the key to the bedroom, he'd gotten the recipe perfect. It was warming as huddling around a fire, seemed to banish tiredness and gave me amazing energy. If I didn't know any better, I would have sworn it healed injuries as good as a healing potion.

Yeta waddled out of the room into the kitchen. I would have gone with her, but I didn't trust myself on my feet. She returned shortly with her giant of a husband.

"Yeto!" I said happily, then my eyes widened as he extended his enormous hand to me. His greetings and gestures before had been a bit… overzealous…

His hand stopped before my face, and I gingerly took and shook it. "Link! Great see you!" He beamed. "You want soup?"

"P-please!" I said, trying to hide my nervousness.

"Aww, you bump head!" He grinned, turning to go back to the kitchen.

"Husband bring soup!" Yeta confirmed.

Moments later, Yeto returned with a tray of bowls, each brim-full of steaming orange soup. I tried to get myself into a seated position with difficulty; my shoulder still hurt and my back didn't like supporting my head. But the soup was too good to pass up! I gave up, picked up the bowl and lay back on the sofa, taking sips out of the bowl. The soup was as good as ever; richly flavoured, smooth and reviving. As it cooled, I drank more of it, feeling better with every sip. I could swear I had been right; it felt like it was healing my aching back like the Triforce!

As I downed the last of the soup, I felt much better. I tried to sit up again, and found my back ached much less. I rolled my head around my neck, hearing the bones softly crackle as they reseated properly. It was unpleasant, but necessary.

"So Link, you not mean to be here. Where you going?" Yeto asked, his bowl long since empty.

"I'm going to Arylus," I told him. "I'm looking for some answers to my life, and legends say I can find them at the World's Point."

"Arylus? That north from here! We know way!" Yeto beamed.

Truth be told, I hadn't even thought about how I would get to Arylus. I'd assumed Zelda would have a map or something, but if Yeto knew the way, maybe I should take the chance to find out.

"Where do I go?"

"This way!" He said, standing suddenly.

'OK,' I thought, getting awkwardly to my feet. I tested my balance; not good, but I could walk. I felt the Triforce was still dark; I wasn't leaving here yet, but hopefully Yeto wasn't going to take me far.

Yeto led the way through the manor, taking doors and turns that would have lost me. But he seemed to know where he was going.

We crossed the courtyard and entered a room I didn't recognise – I could have sworn I'd visited every room in the mansion. That's not to say it wasn't useful; from floor to ceiling, it was filled with what appeared to be maps.

Thousands and thousands of maps.

Someone had been collecting.

There was a free-standing board on the far wall with a map of Hyrule on it. It was quite dated; the area around the castle was shown to be deserted and Ordon wasn't there at all. It made me wonder just how old the mansion was.

Yeto rummaged through the bundles of yellowed paper, sending maps flying everywhere. He seemed to know what he was looking for, and was looking for it at great speed. Eventually, he pulled out another rolled-up sheet and stopped.

"This! This!" He said excitedly. He laid the bundle on a table and unrolled it.

The map showed the north of Hyrule, starting where we were at Snowpeak, showing the mountain ranges and some aspects of Arylus. The first settlement across the range was quite far north. It would take a few days' travelling to reach the village. Hopefully I could find my way from there. I saw my starting point on the map – a winding passage between two mountains marked 'Arrik Pass.'

But hang on… weren't these mountains the ones I wanted to ascend in the first place? Granted, I had no idea where to start climbing, but wouldn't that be an easier place to start?

"Yeto, can you climb the mountains here?" I said, indicating the Hyrule side of the mountain range on the map.

The Yeti looked, thought and shook his head. "Mountains too steep here. No way up. This peak, best place to get to."

I should have figured. I would have to go to Arylus and try to climb the mountains from the other side.

"Can I take this map?" I asked.

"For help with house, please!" Yeto replied. He rolled it up and handed it to me. I opened my pack and slid the map in amongst the mass of tools and equipment. As I passed my hand over the Shadow, I felt my Triforce warm. My power was returning. I could leave soon.

"Thanks Yeto, I'd better be leaving now."

Yeto nodded and led the way back to the sitting room. I told Yeta I'd be going and she happily wished me luck. She also gave me two bottles of Yeto's soup to take with me. They wouldn't stay warm in the glass, but for the effort of making a fire, I'd have two easy meals.

"It great see you Link! Come any time!" Yeto said happily as I walked out of the front door.

"Thanks Yeto! Bye!" I waved. They closed the mansion door and I was alone in the cold again. I shivered and reached for the crystal. As soon as I reached the castle, I'd put on some warmer clothes, I decided. Equally, I should have changed in the mansion, but there was something about the big, empty place that made me uncomfortable about undressing. Besides, the only rooms with fires had Yetis in them and I wasn't going to strip down in front of them!

As I fell to my paws, I imagined Hyrule clearly, ignoring the biting cold. I felt more confident in my power now, more careful; I'd gotten too cocky before. I went back to my first discovery of the power and tried again. Slowly this time.

The power came naturally again, and I felt myself disappear.

When I reappeared outside the castle walls, I knew immediately something was wrong. There was smoke in the air.

Something was on fire.

I scrabbled for the crystal immediately. As soon as I touched it, I was running. I nearly lost my balance as my body changed, but I ran through it, thundering over the bridge and through the main gate. I saw a plume of smoke rising over the stone walls.

It was the stables.

Somehow, the roof was ablaze. The stone walls weren't burning, but the roof was wooden.

People were running around in panic.

I resisted doing the same, pulled on my gloves and ran to the door. I pulled it open.

Smoke billowed out, but I had taken and held a breath before I pulled the door open. Though the effort of running meant it wouldn't last.

The smoke made the entire inside dark. I couldn't see through it, but maybe I had something with me that would help…

First things first. I could hear people were still inside, along with horses, their petrified whinnies screaming out of the open door. I ripped off a strip of cloth from my clothes, felt into my pack and pulled out the bottle of spring water. Using an old trick, I soaked the cloth and wrapped it around my mouth. I wouldn't last long, but it would help. From the pack, I also pulled the Shadow.

I prayed this was right. Its sight granted me the ability to leave my body and see through my hands, so why not seeing through smoke? It seemed to pulse in confirmation. I pulled it onto my head.

A few people noticed me doing this, but I doubt anyone made the connection. Maybe they thought it to be a mask used by people to fight fires? I hoped it would serve as one. I thought about what I needed.

Before me, the smoke seemed to fade out of vision. I could smell it, taste it even, so it was still there. But now, I could see into the building.

Breathing through the wet cloth, I dashed carefully into the building. I bend my body into strange shapes as I avoided smashed timbers and fallen stone, getting to the trapped people as quickly as possible.

They were past the pens, so as I ran, I knocked the locks for each of the pens, releasing the terrified animals. They didn't need telling; the moment the gates were unlocked, they were gone. I noted Epona was among the ones who ran out; she seemed to pause upon seeing me, but I didn't stop, and I heard her hooves click against the stone ground as she bolted. Behind me I heard a whinny, but I couldn't place it amongst the sounds of flame and cracking timber.

Four people were still inside, huddled against the wall of the pens. I crouched beside them; they couldn't see at all through the smoke. I put my hand on the first one's shoulder, then the next in turn until they were all facing my way. I ripped more cloth off my clothes, soaking it in the water and pressing the pieces to their mouths; they all realised what I was doing and held them. I re-wetted my own piece and turned back to them.

"LISTEN TO ME! HOLD ONTO EACH OTHER AND FOLLOW ME!" I yelled through the pandemonium. The four nodded in response and grabbed the clothes of the one beside them, holding the wet cloth to their mouths with the other. I grabbed the hand of the first and pulled him to his feet. "LET"S GO!" I shouted.

The roof above us glowed orange through the smoke. For me, I saw the flames dance about the timbers. The sight could have been beautiful if not potentially fatal. I saw plenty of pieces of thatching collapse into the empty pens, setting the hay ablaze. I didn't break my handhold as I pulled the survivors towards the open door. I heard a muffled cry just as we reached the exit; I pulled his arm forwards to tell him to run that way. I looked back.

The last one had fallen. It was a little girl, Talo's age! As the other three ran for it, I ran the opposite way. One of the survivors was obviously her mother; she had been the one to shriek, but the other two pulled her out of the burning stables.

I raced back and grabbed the little girl, picking her up to carry her out.

Suddenly, I heard an ear-splitting crack above me. I looked up just in time to see the front edge of the roof cave in. It fell in slow-motion as I dived back. The burning wood and thatch blocked the door.

There was no way out.

The cloth began to taste heavily of smoke. There was little time left to find a way out, but I scoured the empty stables. There was no time to search for more magic, I couldn't warp…

Wait, the wolf!

I knew I could jump incredible distances and began searching, not for a way _out_, but for a way _up!_ I saw a path; it would be tricky, especially without my helper to find my footing, but I trusted myself.

I turned to the girl. She was barely conscious. "HEY, LISTEN! GET ON MY BACK AND HOLD ON TIGHT!"

She nodded and I crouched, throwing her onto my back. I reached into the pack, pulled off the Shadow, dropped it in and morphed. She gave a cry of surprise as I became an animal beneath her, but I hoped she could pass it off as the effects of the smoke. The Shadow granted me its power from within my pack… Oh frack, my bag! I couldn't carry the both of them!

I found a trough and pulled the pack from my back. I prayed the trough would protect the precious cargo in the pack; most was irreplaceable, and if I lost the crystal, I would be a wolf forever.

I stashed the pack under the trough and turned it over. It was mostly metal; it should be safe. With that, I saw my starting point and leapt.

Several things happened in that moment. The little girl cried in shock as we leapt, trying her hardest to hold on. I moved out of the range of the Shadow and my vision disappeared. I heightened my senses just in time to land on the stone wall. This would get harder, but I had burnt the jump path into my head. I knew where I needed to go next; I trusted myself like never before and leapt into the darkness.

(~^~)

"GODDESSES! IS ANYONE STILL IN THERE?!" I yelled as I fought to get through.

The stables were ablaze. The wooden roof, together with the straw bedding, was an inferno. Even many feet back, the heat was intense. Even the stone itself threatened to burn; it radiated so much heat.

"Yes, Princess! One little girl, and a young man who led us out!" A coughing man told me. He was a stable-hand; beside him, another hand and a young woman gasped for breath. The woman was being held back by three citizens, screaming hysterically about her daughter.

"What did this man look like?" My suspicions nagged me; I could do nothing from here, so I tried to piece together what was really happening.

"I couldn't see him…" the first hand gasped. "He had light hair and a sort of mask over his face; looked like stone!"

NO!

No, he hadn't!

It couldn't be…

Had his foolishness caused this?

I sincerely hoped he made it out, if it was him. For I would surely kill him if this was his doing.

With horror, I saw the final pieces of the roof twist and turn, before a deafening crack brought them down inside the stables with a dreadful crash.

No-one inside would have survived, Triforce or not.

And yet, I could have sworn I saw a black shape shoot up out of the roof into the smoky air before everything collapsed.

(~^~)

"Uh… uhh…"

The little girl moaned quietly as I lined up for the next jump. It needed such precision, such focus; without the Triforce, I wouldn't make it. I leapt, feeling the empty air below me. I prayed I had got it right. My senses boosted my eyesight, but not for very far.

I felt the stone come under my front paws and landed carefully, aligning myself for the final leap. The one that would either send us out, or send us to our deaths.

For me, this was an everyday decision, and I hated it. For the sake of the little girl, I had to make sure this was right.

I saw the hole in the roof, where a bundle of thatch had fallen. Light came through from the outside, and I saw enough stone that I could land on it. My breaths came heavy; my wolf lungs drew more breath from the air than my human form, but even so, I didn't have long before I succumbed. I trusted myself and leapt.

Had I hesitated one second longer, we would not have made it under the falling thatch. As it was, I felt the little girl's back scrape against the wood. Hopefully she wasn't hurt.

We flew through the air, the power of my back legs having propelled us up and out of the stables like Fyer's cannon. I saw the stone chimney of the neighbouring house and lined myself up to land on it. I carried more weight than I had accounted for, and nearly skidded off the chimney, but I shifted my balance and stopped just in time. Behind me, I heard the roof collapse. Just in time.

I panted hard; the smell of smoke filled my lungs. It was poison, but not too bad; it was only wood. Nothing plenty of fresh air wouldn't fix.

That said, there wasn't much up here. The smoke was still thick in the air; I had to get closer to the ground. I felt my sight starting to go black as I searched around for a quick way down…

Found one.

Without a second's hesitation, I dived off the roof into the air. My aim had to be right. It had to be.

It was.

We both crashed deep into the hay within the wagon I'd seen parked behind the stables. The hay was thick and soft enough to break our fall. Even so, it hurt incredibly when my legs splayed out as I landed; the uneven hay forced my legs out at strange angles. Added to, the little girl landed on me, which hardly helped.

With the last of my strength, I pushed the little girl up, towards the daylight, as I burrowed myself down into the hay. I felt myself blacking out; they had to find the girl, and I had to hide.

I came to some time later. I could no longer hear the flames licking at the wood above me; the fire must have burnt itself out.

I panted; my lungs burned with smoke. I opened my eyes to an odd light.

It wasn't daylight. At least, not completely.

It was softer, like I was inside.

I _was_ inside!

I lay on an exquisitely soft bed. I was on my side, my paws splayed out unnaturally.

I knew this place… I had been here before…

Something slid back into place within me.

_I was in Zelda's room!_

She'd found me.

I breathed out my relief. Safe.

The door to the room opened and Zelda strode in, alone.

She looked at me, saw I was awake. And then I felt fear.

I had never felt scared to be around Zelda before.

(~^~)

I had nothing to go on but my own suspicions. This wolf was definitely him; I could see the Triforce on his forehead.

I could understand the wolf form, but if that 'stone mask' was what I thought it was, he had some explaining to do.

"Link!" I said, in a commanding voice.

The wolf looked up weakly. His thick fur was blackened with soot and stank of smoke. He had done a very noble thing, saving those four. I just prayed he hadn't brought on the need to save them.

I met his eyes. All I saw was relief. But all I felt were accusations. I had warned him, and he had ignored me. There was too much coincidence about all this; Link being right there when people needed saving.

"Link, change back! We need to talk."

The wolf seemed to turn to lick his back. I scowled. He wasn't an animal. But then his head came back and I saw worry in his eyes.

With horror, I realised he couldn't.

I needed him to explain what happened, but he could not talk. So there was only one course of action left.

I walked over to him and sat beside his head. I stroked his fur to find the best spot and placed both hands on his temples.

'LINK!' I thought.

'_Zelda?! How??'_

'I have linked our minds, Link. It is one of the Triforce's powers.'

'_Zelda, you have to help me! I left my pack with the crystal in it in the stable!'_

'Very well, we will find that soon; the fire is out, but the remains are still very hot. We must wait until they cool.'

'_I hope the pack survived…'_

'It was enchanted; it probably did. Speaking of which, what did you do?'

I felt uncertainty radiate from him into me. _'Me? Saved the people left in there!'_

'No, did you cause the fire?'

'_How could I?'_

'I know you used the Shadow. I warned you of its power, and yet you ignored me-'

'_No, no! I used it to __**help **__them! It wasn't me who started the fire! I just came back to Town and saw the stables on fire! I used it to see through the smoke!'_

'Are you sure? There hasn't been a fire anywhere near the castle for years.'

'_Accidents are random, Princess. It was nothing to do with me.'_

He was sincere. I conceded. 'Okay, Link. I trust you, and I'm sorry for accusing you.'

'_Hey, you had a right to, I'm usually right beside trouble when it happens!'_

The wolf seemed to smile at me. 'Okay, I will start enquiring as to how the fire did start. The stable-hands, the woman and her daughter all wish to thank you for saving them, though perhaps that should wait until you are recognisable.'

Link said nothing, but I sensed his agreement. _'How did you explain how the little girl got out?'_

'She doesn't remember much; she remembers you picking her up and telling her to hold on and you morphing. I think the last bit can be put down to the smoke quite easily. I told her you threw her from a window into the wagon outside.'

'_Was there a window there?'_

'Only just within sight; it would take a good throw.'

'_Pretty possible for me then,'_ he seemed to laugh. I smiled at him. 'Perhaps.'

I paused.

'So, you truly used the Shadow?'

The wolf paused this time. _'Yes, Zelda, I'm sorry, but I just __**felt**__ like I could. And I did! I didn't get hurt or hurt anything else! It's like I can command its power safely; it's __**chosen**__ to help me!'_

'You know I wouldn't trust a magical object.'

'_Under different circumstances, neither would I,'_ Link agreed. _'But you weren't there; it was amazing. It let me levitate, see outside my body, see through the smoke and even warped me back home!'_

I knew now that there was no use fighting him. If he could truly use such power safely, then he was meant to wield it. 'You know what I'm going to say.'

'_Be careful, I know, I know…'_

'Now, you rest here until the guards have assessed the damage.'

'_Was anyone hurt?'_

'Most likely thanks to you, no-one was killed. Those four you rescued will heal with fresh air. One of the riders was crushed by his own steed as he tried to free her, and the blacksmith took a blow from falling wood; Telma has offered to take in the wounded and help them.'

'_What about Epona?'_

'As far as I have been told, all the horses escaped without serious injury, though they mentioned that one mare, the largest one, had what they believed to be a broken leg.'

I felt Link's spirit fall. He loved his horse, and Epona was very distinctive – she was a very large, intimidating animal. She probably was the injured. Just Link's luck, I guessed – his mare is wounded before he needs her. He'd have to stay in Hyrule for a few days, or maybe just warp himself home, if he could.

'I'll come back when I hear about your pack, Link. Don't leave this room; even though it was some time ago, the citizens might still fear a wild wolf in their midst. No-one will disturb you here but me.'

The wolf nodded and I removed my fingers from his temples. He allowed his head to fall back and soon fell asleep.

I left the room to check on the town.

(~^~)

I wasn't really asleep. I just acted that way so Zelda would leave me to my thoughts.

She had been right to accuse me. If I had practised with the Shadow within the town, let off a blast of Twili magic, I could have killed someone. As it was, I had saved four.

I had saved four.

I was a Hero again.

ARGH!

It made me slightly sick; I still couldn't stand the praise of being that hero. I would have a new label now – the Hero of the Stable Fire. No. Not again. Who cared how small it was? I wanted to neither meet the people I'd saved, nor be honoured endlessly. I just wanted to disappear, to begin my journey.

To get out of here.

How much longer would this go on?

Would I ever find my answers?

As that great sadness washed over me, the emptiness rising in my chest, I drifted into an awkward sleep, one in which I was known only as the Hero, and I would endlessly retell how I saved those people. And they would reply so stupidly – 'oo's and 'ah's whenever I finished a sentence. Even in my dreams, it drove me crazy. Slowly, my dream expanded to my exploits earlier this year, when I had saved the world, and all I could do was repeat over and over how I saved two worlds.

And how I had lost myself.

This was why I wanted to get out of here.

I saw three paths when I finally left.

One, I would lose myself completely; I would never find my answers and for the rest of my life, I would be hollow and empty.

Two, I would find myself a new life, one I could live with. Maybe it would take me starting again to reach it, beginning anew. It wasn't a nice thought, but it might do.

Three, well, the third, I didn't dare hope would come true.

* * *

**I'm not trying to put off Link leaving; quite the opposite, I'm trying to get the conditions right. Writer's block is amazingly frustrating, especially as I have several of the later chapters, some quite epic, waiting to upload. I'll try my best to get chapter 8 up tomorrow, but no promises! :)  
R&R please! Many thanks to Logan1047 for throwing some interesting ideas my way in his review - I'd love to hear any ideas anyone else has! - and hi and thanks to new reader/reviewer Labbear! See ya soon!**


	9. Part 2 Interlude: The Unexpected

**I have no idea what is going on today, but heck, I am loving writing!  
This is a very short chapter for a very good reason - I'm breaking this story down into at least three discrete parts, possible four. Part 1, The Past, has been the lead-up to the journey, everything up to this point. Starting now is Part 2 - The Journey, which will probably take several chapters by itself. And this is probably where my writer's block will set in!  
Word of warning for this chapter - a significant amount of ZeldaxLink snuck into my writing and I don't know how - it really did write itself! But I'm pleased with the result and I hope it's acceptable.  
Disclaimer: Legend of Zelda and all characters are Nintendo's, plot and all OCs are mine**

* * *

Part 2 Interlude  
The Unexpected

Zelda entering her room awoke me from that uneasy rest. It was far from quality, but it allowed my body and gift to do their work; my lungs were as normal and my previously-aching muscles no longer complained. My mind, on the other hands, was still broken.

Zelda held something in her arm. Something black. I looked on in horror as I saw it was my pack, but it was whole; it had a fresh coating of soot, but was intact. She brought it over to the bed and placed it on the floor.

Moving carefully, trying not to extract the new colour from the fabric, she opened it and saw the crystal in the top, alongside the map and the Shadow. And my tunic. As much as it connected this me to another me, I could not resent it; I felt empowered in that tunic, and could not bear to simply discard it. Zelda carefully picked up the crystal and, holding it within the fabric, she raised it to my head, touching it to my forehead.

Just like _she_ used to do…

As I morphed, a few tears made themselves known at the memory. I still hadn't gotten over her; the subject still hurt. Another reason I had to leave; get away from everything I could that reminded me of her. Ironically, I couldn't leave the Shadow, the thing that was closest to her; I tried to stop thinking of it as hers, trying to make it mine. Yes, it was selfish, but it had chosen me as its new master. It could be mine if only for me to keep safe.

In seconds, I lay in the same position on Zelda's bed, though occupying more of it; Zelda had been forced to make way for me. "Thank you, Zelda," I said quietly without looking up.

"What's wrong, Link?" There was none of the accusation in her voice now; it was friendly again. She seemed ready to listen.

I sighed heavily and poured my most recent thoughts out to her. She'd heard some of them before, but she still listened. When I finished, she gave me a look of complete understanding. "If you prefer, I will simply say I have passed on the thanks of the people you aided." She seemed to deliberately avoid the word 'saved,' and I silently thanked her. I was growing tired of endlessly saving people; though I would without hesitation, it was defining my life.

"That would be great," I said, letting my eyes roll closed. I sighed again.

"How are you feeling," Zelda said, innocently. She meant my body.

"I'm OK, I think. I didn't get badly hurt, just breathed in too much smoke. How's Epona?"

"It was her, Link. Her leg isn't broken, but it's badly hurt. She won't be able to run for several days, and a long journey is definitely out," She said heavily.

I lay still, lost in my thoughts. Why had this roadblock appeared before me? Were the Goddesses punishing me for my outburst yesterday? Why couldn't I just get out and be me?

"I can offer you one of the Royal Messenger's horses; they are fast and well-trained-"

"No, thank you Zelda." I said quietly. "Thanks for the offer. Really. But I could only trust one steed for such a journey."

"What are you going to do? Wait for her?" She asked carefully.

I thought for a moment. "I've come too far to turn back, even to postpone it, Zelda. I have to go, even if I'm alone."

"But how will you make it without a steed?"

"The Yetis gave me a map of the pass through the mountain. I'll warp up to Snowpeak and go on foot. It'll take a few days, but I should reach the village just north of the mountains. Hopefully, I'll find my way from there."

Zelda fell silent. She was thinking. I looked up from the bed.

She, too, was lost in unhappy thoughts.

"Is something wrong, Zelda?"

She held silence for a moment, but then spoke. "You're going to be leaving Hyrule, for however long, and it's worrying me, Link. The land is so fragile right now. It cost so much to rebuild Hyrule that many of us are scared for the future." She gave a soft laugh. "It's funny, but I always felt that, as long as you were here, I could fear nothing. Without you, I'm not sure how we'll cope."

She was completely sincere. At a guess, she felt like me, confessing my deepest feelings for Midna, except she cared the same for her land and her people. I completely understood.

"My mother and father have been sending suitors to me for weeks now," she continued. "At first, I thought it was to allow me to take the title of Queen, so I shunned them. But now I understand. They want to open new trade routes with other lands, Link, to ensure Hyrule's economy picks up. It is so low at the moment, one more disaster could finish us." She shed a tear. "The stables were more than a dangerous accident. We have the cost to rebuild them, the cost to the blacksmith who will be out of work until he heals, perhaps months of wages, and the gentleman who tried to free his mare only to be crushed by her? He is threatening us, Link. He says he will cause so much trouble with our courts and laws that we will not know where we stand unless he is compensated for his injury. I'm scared, Link. Truly, truly scared for the future of the country." Her tears began to flow.

It hurt me to see her like this. Without hesitation, I picked myself off the bed and sat beside her. I wrapped my arm around her and pulled her into my shoulder as she let loose her tears. She was so young to be in charge of so much. I could not blame her for her emotions. I wrapped my other hand around the back of her head, stroking her hair.

I held her for some time as she sobbed into my torn clothes. As I had needed to face my emotions, so did she. She had faced so much – the Twilight Invasion, Ganondorf, the rebuilding of everything we knew. And through it all, she had never let her face fall. She had been the unmovable rock upon which Hyrule rested. She knew she could not let her people see her cry. She'd crushed her fears, banished them deep inside with her gift, but she could never destroy her feelings. And now they had forced their way out. Better here, where I could keep her secret and comfort her, than before the Council. They would be ruthless to her, try to control her, maybe even replace her…

I could not let the Kingdom fall from Zelda's hands, but I could not stay here either. I was the poster boy for an age that needed forgetting. Hyrule needed to recover, and only strong leadership could help it.

Only Zelda…

She was Hyrule's shining star, the hope among the darkness. But she was like me – Hylian. She had feelings and secrets, and no-one she could release them to. No-one but me.

We were there for each other. Closer than best friends. Had things turned out differently, then maybe… But no. She was a princess, I was a farm hand. And my heart lay elsewhere. But now I had begun to accept my own feelings, I felt I could help others come to terms with theirs. I loved Midna like she loved her land. It would destroy either of us to lose them, and granted, it had done a number on me to lose Midna. Perhaps that's what set this off – she saw how my love had gotten me so hurt, and her fear was that the same would happen to her.

I understood perfectly. And I held her as she vented it all.

She cried for several minutes, though it did not bother me at all. When she began to stem her tears, she looked up at me, deep into my eyes. I'd felt that gaze before, when someone scared had sought comfort from me. And I accepted it now. I returned a look of pure understanding and warmth. She blinked slowly and pulled a handkerchief from her pocket, drying her red eyes.

"Link… I'm… I'm…"

"You don't need to say it, Zelda. I think I understand. You have feelings that you hide for your land. To bury them is to delay their explosion. You fear for the future. And that's normal. If the future were a certainty, life wouldn't be worth living. To live is to risk."

My philosophy summed up so quickly.

She dried the last of her tears and said, "Beautiful, Link. Thank you. I… I needed that…"

I nodded softly to her.

She rose from the bed and composed herself awkwardly. It was the last thing anyone expected from the Princess, to break down like this. But she had helped me through my deepest thoughts. The least I could do was help her face hers.

"You're still going to journey, Link?" She asked with a quiet sniffle.

I sighed. "I just can't stay, Zelda. I don't belong here, I can't stay any longer. But you are the wisest, strongest person I have ever met. Trust yourself. You know what the right thing to do is. Don't give in, keep fighting."

We truly weren't so different. We both had our responsibilities, we both had passion, desires and strength of will. We both bore the trust of people's lives and we were both leaders.

"Hyrule will be safe so long as its people look to you," I finished.

She nodded slowly at me. "Thank you, Link." A smile began to appear at her lips. "Thank you for everything you have done for Hyrule, and for me. When will you leave?"

It was nearing midday; this morning had certainly been interesting. The light in the room was not to be trusted; the black smoke from the stable fire was filtering the sunlight. "Soon," I replied heavily. "I just need to gather the last of my things and change."

I looked down at my ruined Ordon clothes, torn apart and soaking wet with Zelda's tears. A small smile caught me as I ran over how waking up to herd goats had led to this. I had changed a lot in that time, so much I did not recognise myself. My desire to leave took me again, not for Zelda, but for myself.

"I will have the cooks prepare you enough food for a few days, but it looks like you can't fit much else in your pack, Link," Zelda said.

She was right. My pack was nearly full; I thought I would never fill it!

"Can I leave a few things here, safely?" I asked. I didn't want to warp back to Ordon now.

"By all means." Zelda walked over to her bookcase and slid it to one side. Behind the cabinet was a hollow in the wall, quite large, more than enough for a person to hide in.

"I believe that, years ago, an older Princess had this made so that her lover could hide here," she said with a smile. "Free from the eyes of her parents."

It was more than big enough for me to leave many of the things I had brought. I rummaged through the pack and looked at everything in turn, assessing how useful it would be.

The Clawshots were easily useful, especially where mountain-climbing was concerned.

The Spinner? No.

The Dominion Rod? Probably not.

The boomerang? Maybe.

The lantern? Definitely.

Bo's iron boots? No.

Bombs? Who knew what I could face on the mountain?

The Bow? Yes.

The Ball and Chain? Ha, pass!

The alone bought me much space in my pack.

That did it. I placed each item on the ground and Zelda helped me place them in the hiding place, often with difficulty – I realised I was carrying some very heavy things!

Finally, my pack was clear enough to take what food I would need. Zelda summoned Pellen and gave him instructions for the cooks; he bowed and left immediately. As the door closed, I felt Zelda's mind grow heavy again.

She went to her desk and moved a few papers aside until she found the one she wanted. She read its contents, drew an envelope and placed it in. She sealed it with wax from a small candle and her ring. She brought the letter to me.

"Link, I know you probably won't approve of this, but I have come to understand that my parents have Hyrule's best interests in mind. To this end, I wish you to find Orlon, brother of King Dalné of Arylus, and hand him this."

"What is it?" I chanced.

Her gaze fell. "A sincere apology for my last letter and an acceptance of his proposal of marriage." The second half of her sentence was so quiet I strained to hear it, but I heard first time.

I had no right to tell her she was being forced into this, that she could still choose – these were fragile times for the land. After what I had told her, about doing what she felt to be right, I couldn't second-guess her. I had to trust she knew what she was doing.

"Your silence tells me more than your words ever could," she said solemnly. "I know I am walking into the unknown, but it is lesser than the others I face. If I take the hand of Orlon, trade between our lands will happen swiftly. We will be able to restore our land to glory and ensure its future."

I nodded heavily. This was her choice. She walked her own path now, as I prepared to walk mine.

The cooks did not take long to prepare several substantial rations for me. They gave me a large amount of water and plenty of food. I knew that I would not starve, at least.

My clothes were ruined. With irony, I chose to wear the hero's clothes again; they were warm, tough and well-suited to travelling. The chain-mail took some getting used to, especially getting it to sit correctly, but it was worth it. Zelda smiled when she saw me emerge from the guest room in a suit of green. She made no reference to my being a Hero, and I again silently thanked her.

Zelda told me Epona would be cared for whilst I was gone, and that she would keep me in her prayers. "Be safe, Link, and find the truths you seek," She told me as I left the castle early that afternoon. I turned back to her, seeing the emotion, perhaps fear, in her quivering eyes. I pulled her close and whispered into her ear, "Though I won't be here for a while, as long as you think of me, I'll never leave." She nodded, and I placed a friendly kiss on her cheek. She looked at me, my eyes reassuring, and I bowed to her as I turned to leave.

As soon as I was out of the castle grounds, I found a safe place to transform. I felt my new tunic vanish just like it always did, as I became feral and free. I imagined Snowpeak and the Shadow submitted, breaking me apart and sending me there in moments.

* * *

**OK, now I don't know when the next chapter will be up. If you have any ideas you'd like to share with me, drop me a line - I'm always listening! All I need is enough inspiration and I'm off - exactly what happened here. Wrote this in a couple of hours - it just flowed so well!  
R&R please! Laters all!**


	10. Chapter 8: Instinct

**Bit of a Winter-themed chapter here. I might be wrong about wolf pack mentality and cold-weather survival, but I'm pleased with this chapter and the action it contains. It also ties up a little loose end from the previous Part that I thought would require an A/N.  
Christmas is nearly here; I might be able to manage one more update before it, but if not consider this your Christmas present! Snow around where I am isn't very thick, but it's frozen the village and I'm not going anywhere, so I'll probably be doing a lot more writing. Whether that becomes another chapter, only time will tell.  
Also, hello and welcome to ThatFanFicGuy, Varanus and spartan218 as regular readers, and thanks to regular readers/reviewers NinjaSheik and MoonlitMelody for their recent reviews!  
Disclaimer: you know...  
Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 8  
Instinct

I trudged heavily through the snow. Everything had led to this point, me leaving behind my life in Hyrule. So why now did I cling to anything that would keep me here? Did I truly mean it?

A voice inside was forcing me to leave. The rest of me simply followed. And now that the door stood open before me, I struggled to step through, no matter how much that voice urged.

In all honesty, I think I was beginning to doubt I would find my answers. After all, Zelda herself didn't know if World's Point was fact or fiction. Was I just kidding myself, blindly believing in a legend, wishing it to be real?

Wanting something never made it happen.

And yet… _she_ seemed to have. She believed with such conviction, such unwavering desire…

And it had worked out, mostly.

Could I at least try? If anything, it got me out of the monotone of day-to-day life. Maybe that was all I needed, to get away from everything for a while…

I trudged on.

My boots sank deep into the snow, my footsteps heavy as I made my way across the ridge to the mountain pass. I saw it, some distance below me. It would take some very careful steps to reach it, and it was a long way down. I shuddered when I imagined myself falling. I probably wouldn't survive if I fell, at least, not for very long…

I focussed on the task at hand – not falling off. The ridge was narrow, leading down to the flat of the pass. At least the weather was still in my favour…

As if waiting for my thoughts, I felt the wind rise.

No!

Snow whipped up around me, just the light powder from the surface. I hoped it would not get worse than this as I carefully planted my feet. The wind would have ripped through my old clothes but not the Hero's Tunic – it blocked most of the cold, but not perfectly. I felt a few spots of snow sneak over the high top into my left boot but I ignored them.

The wind fell, and I saw I was still heading straight for the flat outcrop between the mountains. Arrik Pass.

Then the wind rose again. Faster this time. More snow was lifted from the ground, to be joined by more from the sky. It was snowing, and with the wind as it was, I feared a blizzard was on its way.

I pulled my tunic up higher, protecting my exposed chin from the cold. I was struggling to see through the snow; the wind was getting faster and more snow was falling. Perfect. Just perfect.

I would not be beaten by the weather. If this was the Goddesses trying to sway me, I would not yield. I was so determined in my actions this time.

I reached into the pack and pulled out the Shadow. If I could see through smoke, why not snow? It was worth a try, so I donned it. After telling it what I wanted, it granted me the ability to see through snow.

And I promptly saw my foot slip past the edge…

My right foot had fallen just over the edge, scratching away rock and snow as it threatened to pull the rest of me down. With a warrior's reactions, I leant to the left, sending myself crashing into the snow. My right foot hung above nothingness – a long descent into deep snow. From here, I might survive, but I'd be out for days.

I looked at the path ahead of me. It was narrowing even more as it approached the entrance to the pass. Just past the rock, I could see the path down the mountain, the snow dotted with holes, like a horse's hooves. The messengers from Arylus must have come this way. I laughed to myself as I realised I'd taken on the role of messenger by carrying Zelda's letter. Well, it was certainly better than sending another messenger – we were both going the same way.

Then I thought about the horses the messengers rode. They were big and heavy, and had tiny feet; they couldn't ride in rough weather. Humans, too, weren't well adapted to snow – we were heavy, and our big feet sank into the slush. Then I remembered what I encountered the first time – the snow wolves! I'd been attacked by them so often, how could I forget – they moved so naturally in the snow! And when I'd ascended Snowpeak the first time, I'd gone as a wolf. I'd make faster progress if I were lighter and had smaller feet – the snow wolves simply flew over the snow.

I dropped the Shadow back into the pack, touched the crystal and found myself on all fours, low under the incoming blizzard and much more able to see. The wind whipped my fur around but I wasn't too cold. Besides, if I got moving, I'd warm up.

I could see enough without the Shadow now, and I knew that using it for too long would drain my own magic. I had just started, so my energy had to last. I decided only to use it to aid me, not to guide me.

Now lupine, I dashed down the ridge, following it easily and safely, my footing sure and steady. When I finally reached the rocky outcrop, covered in snow, I looked up at the pass.

The mountains rose up on either side, towering into the midday sky. I couldn't tell it was midday; the sky was black with clouds. It looked like a Tessek of a storm was coming. Time to get moving.

As I walked towards the pass, I caught whiff of something familiar. I turned my nose against the wind, trying to work out where it was coming from. It was a smell of activity, work, sweat… Not human either…

It was the smell of the messenger's horses!

I looked down to see the hoofprints in the ground. I could follow this scent through the mountain against the storm!

I lowered my snout, bringing my nose as close to the ground as I dared, and sniffed.

The smell of working horses seemed to be burned into the ground. I knew my nose to be more receptive as a wolf, but still, this spot stank of sweaty equitation. It smelt like Epona after running across Hyrule Field!

I closed my eyes and heightened my senses. The scent seemed to have embedded itself in my snout; as I lifted my head, I could face left or right to just _feel_ where the horses has been, my nose straining for the slightest hint of the scent of horses. Before long, I could trace the path they had taken without even looking. With the storm building around me, it would be the perfect guide. I shook myself slightly, shifting the snow from my fur, resettled my pack and began to move.

I felt free again; Zelda was right. The wolf was so much more than a form in which I could accomplish different goals. Like this, I could run freely, at one with nature. I was unbound by Hylian law, answerable to no-one. It was freedom. Undiluted, pure freedom. What was an organised society but a controlling hand for the masses? Sure, it kept us safe, mostly, but with so many laws hanging over us, we lost our freedom. And to be free was what everyone ever wanted – to live their lives as they wished. And that's what the wolf could do – I could do whatever I wished, my morals as my guide. This was for me.

I opened my eyes to see the snow swirling before me. It bit at my eyes and I scrunched them closed. Without my enhanced senses, I would be blind. But now, I could smell my direction, hear the storm ripple off the mountainsides either side of me, feel the snow crunch beneath my paws as I felt the wild unknown call to me. I couldn't resist; I broke into a perfect run.

The exertion didn't bother me at all. As I flew over the snow, my paws barely scratching the cold surface, I felt so alive! To run free… Now this was truly amazing. The storm didn't matter. The place I was in didn't matter. As long as I could see a path ahead and I could run, I felt happy. Could I truly be happy as a wolf? I mean, I could simply choose not to change back. What if I just ran wild for the rest of my life? I might be able to live with that – every other life had those governing rules and watchful eyes of their enforcers staring at me. I had lived so long under that, and then to be charged with saving the world, the wolf could be the welcome relief I sought.

As I ran, the human side of me returned. It argued that this was just one part of me, another reason I was in so much conflict. I was so torn between who I was that I was looking for the easiest way out. And what would I miss by resorting to an animal? I'd live shorter than a Hylian, probably hurt myself a whole lot more, have to say goodbye to everyone I ever knew…

Could I bring myself to do that?

Try as I might, I couldn't ignore that voice. No, I couldn't give it all up. Life as a human was all I had ever known. To choose the wolf would mean starting again. Well, it was an option I had thought of, wasn't it?

Maybe I would find what I wished out here.

*

I ran for hours in the freezing wind, covering miles of the pass rapidly. My fur, so thick and rough, kept me warm, much warmer than that tunic. I was so adapted to the elements like this that it did tempt me many times to stay. But even this form had limits. Soon, I felt my strength falling away, and I knew I would have to stop and rest. It wasn't too bad; I was probably halfway through.

The storm had only grown wilder, but like this, I hadn't even noticed. Had I brought Epona up this way, we would have had to stop and find shelter long before even entering the pass; I couldn't ask her to take us through such a fierce snowstorm. She was used to warm weather; Ordon had never seen snow like this. In winter, it got a little cold, like it was cooling off now, but if we ever got snow, it was little more than a light dusting and it lasted a few days. I realised – this was the only way. I had to do this alone or not at all.

Fate.

Maybe the Goddesses were still watching.

Why couldn't they just leave me be? Or were they truly aware of what I intended, and were bringing me to them?

I guessed I would only find out in time.

I stopped running, panting, and looked around me. My sharp eyes sought anything in the dim light within the storm – a cave, ideally, but I would be satisfied with anything.

A stripped, dead tree was to my left, its branches barren and completely useless as shelter. I looked back; maybe I'd run blindly past a perfect rest place. I'd been so lost in my running, after all.

I couldn't see anything useful.

Heavily, I dipped into the pack with magic and summoned the Shadow's vision. I felt the effort of using magic grip me – it was like I was running again. I didn't feel it when I had begun, but now weakened from hours of moving, my strength had worn thin.

The snow vanished from my eyes and I could see. Behind me was a cluster of boulders. I walked over to them and checked them out. They were arranged almost around a central clearing, and offered considerable protection on all sides. I leapt over the lowest boulder and found the snow deep within the boulders; other than that, the tall rocks either side of me blocked the winds quite well. If there was nothing else in sight, it would do.

I hopped out from between the boulders and looked around. Just as I feared; there was nothing else within sight. The pass curved up ahead, but I knew it could be blank or useless for miles still. I could spend the last of my energy trying to find somewhere more suitable or make do with what I'd found.

So I did. I jumped back into the cluster and, making like the animal I was, I aligned my body and used my fast-moving front paws to throw the snow out underneath me, digging away the cold coating of the hollow. Flakes of snow caught my belly and weaved into my fur; I shivered slightly, but the exertion of digging quickly melted the snow. In minutes, the hollow between the rocks was more than suitable for me. I looked at my work triumphantly and dropped the pack, nestling myself beside it and wrapping my legs around it.

The storm still raged, but the boulders shielded me. Snow fell softly onto me, but my overworked body radiated so much heat that it melted on contact. I couldn't sleep immediately; I was too hot. As my body cooled, I started feeling the cold through my fur. I had no doubt that, were I to try sleeping as a human, it would be worse. So I reached into the pack and pulled out a blanket with my teeth, trying not to rip it. It snagged on the Shadow, but eventually gave way without tearing severely. I growled when I saw a hole in it, but it was acceptable. I threw the blanket over myself and felt better in seconds. It formed a barrier between me and the slow-falling snow. I doubted I'd be buried by it in the few hours rest I needed, well, that I hoped I needed. In moments, fatigue overtook me and I fell asleep.

*

When I awoke some time later, I felt much better. Protected by the blanket covering my entire body and the pack next to me, I had been warm and safe. It was dark under the blanket, but I could hear silence above me. The storm had ceased.

I became aware of a weight pressing down on me. All of my body. On the other side of the blanket had to be snow, perhaps a foot or more. True enough, the blanket was soaked, taking my fur with it. My semi-awake mind hadn't noticed.

I stretched, finding that the blanket still moved. There wasn't too much snow above me. Okay, time to go.

I shuffled to the very edge of the hollow and pressed up with my head. The blanket gave in and I was able to push through. I saw light above me. Pure white light.

The snow was quite thick, perhaps two feet, but very light and powdery. It was quite heavy, but thankfully hadn't frozen. If it had compacted into ice, getting out would have been pretty tough.

As I rose out of the hollow, I pulled the pack onto my neck and grabbed the blanket with my teeth again. I summoned my refreshed strength and aimed a jump over the low boulder. I crouched low, feeling the familiar energy build up in my legs. Just like my leaping over impossible gaps or between trees. I built the jump for a few seconds and let it all out at once.

I shot out of the hollow and straight into the white snowscape.

Straight into trouble.

As I landed, I heard the movement around me. I looked around.

The storm had passed and the light was low; it was early morning, and the Sun would rise soon. In the dim light, I could see a thin ridge far above me, running the same as the pass. And it was from this ridge that I sensed movement.

I raised my senses, straining to catch a sniff of anything near me. The wind was almost still. It was far too quiet.

Something was watching me.

Then I caught the scent…

I sniffed long into the air, grabbing as much of the scent as I could. I'd smelt a similar aroma before, on the climb up to Snowpeak.

My body tensed as I worked it out.

The Snow Wolves.

A pack of pure white wolves were stalking me. They moved like ghosts, able to blend in and out of the snow at will. Though they were no more dangerous than normal wolves, it was nearly impossible to spot them until they were in mid-air, lunging for a strike on their victim.

I growled at them, letting them know I was aware of them. Nothing responded; they were hunting.

Hunting me.

_Medium, or well-done?_

I wouldn't be discerned. With my senses, I had spotted them before. But now was different, a voice nagged. Now, they were above me. Their scents weren't on the same level; they had to float down to me first. And by the time I caught that scent, they were long gone.

I still started moving. I kept my eyes on the ridge, looking for the smallest sign of movement.

Four steps in, twelve shapes fell upon me at once.

I immediately adopted a defensive stance, my head down, legs apart, teeth bared.

Twelve wolves had descended in a circle around me. They all looked the same as me, just pure white. And they were ready to spring on me without warning.

I didn't bother looking behind me; I could hear them all, the soft crunches of snow as they took up their positions, giving way to their hushed breaths. They were working as a pack, cutting off my escape routes. They were giving me no choice but to fight.

Normally, I'd have been confident, but there were more here now than I'd ever faced. And I was getting slightly scared.

They were a pack, however. And that meant the alpha would be the one to make the first lunge. I scanned the ones before me. I saw three fairly similar wolves, but the fourth was different. He was slightly larger, his face ripped by scars and he had a slightly different scent. He had to be the pack leader.

I locked eyes with him and growled.

He did likewise.

And then the fight began.

Not from the front.

Two wolves sprung me from behind. Any normal wolf would not have noticed them coming – they were as ghosts in the snow. This was their home – they were so adapted to it they used it to their advantage. But I had one of my own.

When I truly focussed, like when I felt my life was on the line, my senses went higher than a normal wolf. I could hear, see or smell the slightest movement of the smallest thing. And here, I felt the tremors of their feet as they leapt from the ground. I could just tell there were two, and they could only be heading for me.

With that incredible focus, I heard them sail through the air. I timed my movements and lashed out.

My back paws, charged with that familiar jumping force, sprung up at them, catching them both at the same time. My left paw hit something solid – bone, probably a skull or shoulder, and the wolf went spinning away. My right dug into something soft, probably its throat, and I felt it collapse to the ground.

I regained my footing and faced the unmoving alpha again. _That was cowardly,_ I said, my speech coming as a series of growls and grunts. _Where is your honour? You would attack from behind?_

The alpha looked taken aback; he had not expected his foe to talk, just to die. _For what you have done to us, I would rather you die as quickly as possible!_ He growled back. _You speak of honour? How many of us did you kill, Half-Breed? Dozens? Hundreds?_

_What was I supposed to do? My fight was not with your kind, but they chose to attack me!_

_So you would have us take you at your word? Is that your justification for everything? All I saw was the spilt blood of fallen brothers! They all died by your actions! And for that, you must die!_

The two wolves flanking the alpha dived for me. I crouched low and sprung up myself, aiming for the gap between them. I slid through, our furs brushing. I met the alpha's eyes again, opened my mouth and snarled as I brought my paws up for the fatal strike…

Another wolf dived into my left side, knocking me into the snow. I was back up in an instant, leaping back into the attacking wolf. I caught it below the jaw, sending it crashing to the ground. I hoped I had simply stunned it; its paw moved weakly and it moaned in pain.

No time to worry about that. I ducked low; another wolf sailed over my head. I brought my head up as its legs crossed me; I upset its delicate balance and it landed in a sprawling heap, smashing its head against the side of the pass. Four down.

Four of the remaining wolves rushed me at once, but I was ready. I felt their footsteps approach and could tell when the time was right. I bent my legs and spun about, allowing my thick, bushy tail to do a complete circle about the spot. It was the same as being hit with a club – all four wolves were batted away harmlessly, sent crashing into the snow, gouging paths in the white as they landed, all four out of the fight.

The four remaining wolves eyed me with caution. All bar the alpha. He was still unmoving. His eyes were darting ever so slightly…

Had I been a dumb wolf, I would have missed it. This wasn't the alpha – it was the beta. The second. The alpha wasn't even in the fight, yet. I could sense a thirteenth presence, directly above me.

Ice-cold fear swept through me as I realised what was happened. I backflipped, the ground becoming sky as I turned over to face the hulking alpha eye to eye. He was massive, his eyes an icy blue, showing pure lust for blood. His face was scarred worse than the beta.

My backflip was almost perfect. The alpha landed on my stomach, quite badly, but not enough to stop my move. I gripped his fur with my claws and teeth and rolled as soon as my back hit the ground.

We started to roll along the pass, head over feet a couple of times, me keeping hold of him, him trying to break free. The alpha hadn't expected this, but I was far from a normal wolf. And I knew things no wolf would know, like how to recognise when to throw a body. I knew the movements, when I could get the best leverage on someone, using their own weight and momentum against them. As my back rolled into the snow for the third time, I snarled, summoning my energy and charging my back legs. The alpha was afraid, even though he did not show it. I timed the move and kicked out, letting go at the same instant.

The old, battered wolf flew away from me, the same force slamming me to a halt in the snow. The wolf flew backwards, up high and smashed into a snowdrift up on the ridge.

I staggered onto my feet. It had taken a lot from me, but I knew I had four still to face. They stood unmoved, paralysed by my actions. They had never meant to attack, just distract me to let the alpha make the kill. But now those four wolves eyed me in fear.

Then I realised it wasn't me they were looking at.

I heard it, the slow crumbling of snow and ice. I had heard of what was about to happen, but I had never seen it. And I didn't want to.

All four wolves turned tail and ran. I charged forwards, spotting the pack and slinging it onto my neck without stopping as the snow rained down behind me. The sound built to a roar, like the entire mountain was collapsing. In an instant, I was back on Death Mountain, dodging flaming rockfalls like rain. But there was no dodging here. There was just running.

I thundered across the snow. I could hear the avalanche speeding up behind me. Not here, not now, I had faced too much to be consumed by nature. So I pushed myself. All that energy I had recovered in sleep poured out of me and I ran faster than I had ever before.

I ran for my life.

I had never run away before. I had always seen a battle through to the end. Even in the face of insurmountable odds. But now, this battle could not be won whatever I did. Unless I turned my tail and ran with the enemy.

My breaths came hard and fast, my muscles screaming for mercy as I pushed my wolf body harder and harder. In seconds, I had caught up with and overtaken the three brothers, who trailed the beta by a second. He heard me coming and turned his head to snap his jaws at me. My eyes flashed; we were facing certain death and he still wanted vengeance that was not rightly his. I timed my legs and jumped clean over him, leaving him confused to where I had gone, and I was already thundering faster forwards by the time he did. He roared at me as I ran.

And then I heard the roar cut short, only to be replaced by another, deafening roar, that of unstoppable snow moving at incredible speed. I wouldn't survive if I ended up in the ice – I was too tired to dig myself out if I did. That left only one other option.

Get above it.

I scanned the ridge above. There had to be a way up.

I saw a slight dip and a boulder close by on the ground. That would do it. It took the last of my fighting strength to launch myself up at the boulder and relaunch my aching body high in the air. My paws crashed into the ridge but I kept going. I was up, but I could still hear the snow right behind me. I had to get higher.

Fortunately, the ridge rose a short distance ahead. I raced up it as fast as possible, chancing a look back.

It was truly terrifying.

It was a moving mass of white, like a pure white Chu. It picked up and consumed everything in its path. I saw trees, branches and rocks swirling within it. It was as tall as the ridge, but only just. A few more feet and I'd be safe.

Then, against all odds, I was hit from behind by another wolf. His soaking fur meshed with mine as he fell heavily onto my back. Just from his scent, I knew it was the beta. I stumbled but kept moving.

_What's there left to avenge? This is your doing! _I roared above the noise._ You wanted to fight me. Now you've lost your alpha, and your pack was just swallowed by the mountain. Maybe you should go take your place with them!_

With a quick flick of my back, the pack came up and battered his stomach, winding him. I rolled my shoulders and his grip failed. He gripped a patch of my fur desperately with his teeth, ripping it out from my back with excruciating pain. I looked back to see him fall into the swirling white oblivion, and the pure white wolf became one with the snow for the last time.

I was high enough that the slowing avalanche could safely pass below me. I slowed and stopped, my lungs burning. After a second of so, I collapsed on the ridge. Beneath me, the snow ground to a halt and silence covered the pass again. I watched faintly for any signs of movement, but I guessed with a heavy heart that none of the wolves had survived it. I hadn't wanted to kill them, not even the ones who attacked me coming up to Snowpeak the first time. But they left me no choice – warning bites and snarls got me nowhere. So I had to stop them attacking me.

Just like here.

Wow, this trek had gotten off to an interesting start.

(~^~)

"Princess Zelda," Pellen said as he stood at the Throne Room door.

"Yes?" I answered.

"Captain Wallis of the Guard wishes to inform you he may have found the cause of the stable fire."

"Is he here?"

"Yes."

"Let him in."

Wallis strode into the room; behind him, two Corporals supported a Major who appeared quite drunk. The stable had been out for almost two hours, and Link was well on his way by now. So, back to work.

"Your Majesty," Wallis said, kneeling before me, supporting himself on his pike.

"What have you to tell?" I said firmly. The conversation from earlier had left mixed emotions swirling around my head. I was letting my Triforce iron them out, dispensing with the pleasantries and getting straight to the point.

"Corporals Broon and Verril found Major Wark like this at his post on the west wall. He claims to have had two bottles of strong ale but we found only one. We believe he knocked the second onto the stable roof, from where it must have dripped onto a lantern in the building. The ale he claims he had is known to be flammable."

"Is that what happened?" I said sharply at Wark.

Wark stammered some unintelligible half-words before Wallis gestured at Broon and Verril, who began to drag him out of the Throne Room. "I will see to it that he is fairly punished, Your Majesty."

Wark suddenly yelled out with slurred words, "FLYIN' WOLVES ARE GONNA KILL US!" I startled, and Broon and Verril yanked him swiftly towards the dungeons. At the jerk, a sharp clatter caught my ears. I looked down to see a small telescope drop from Wark's belt.

Suddenly, everything became clear.

* * *

**And cut! OK, that might be all from me for Xmas, so I'll leave you with a few thoughts on Xmas gifts for the Zelda crew (course I'm not gonna be the first to suggest these):  
Zelda: A book on Hyrule's history that doesn't require Divine intervention to actually read  
Colin: Master Sword and Hylian Shield, of course  
Midna: Fused Shadow helmet, with a big bow, from Link  
Link: Squeaky bone, flea collar, leash etc, from Midna...  
Got any other suggestions, let's hear them! As for my Xmas present, you can make that an R&R please!  
Merry Christmas All!**


	11. Chapter 9: Welcome

**Merry Christmas one and all! First of two chapters to upload here as a Christmas present!  
Predictably, after the compulsory family-time, I got monumentally bored. Mostly due to my sister putting on Australia which I have no interest in at all! Added to, she's got an annoying dog and the only place I can find sanctuary is my room :)  
Well, Link's finally arriving in a new land! I hope everyone likes this chapter; I've been fishing in my mind for ideas as I've got writer's block - the next few chapters just won't come to me like the first Part did! I'm trying, but if you spot any corrections that need making or want to share some ideas, shoot me a mail or tell me in the review!  
Hope you all had a merry Xmas; mine was pretty average, but my big presents usually come after the holiday anyway, so I'm looking forward to the new year. Not looking forward to the Boxing Day shift at work though!  
Disclaimer: yup. That.  
Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 9  
Welcome

(~^~)

I must have fallen asleep on that ridge, because when I finally pulled my aching body out of the snow, the better part of the day had gone and the light was fading. I remembered the fight, fresh in my mind.

What was it with me and attracting trouble?

I sighed as I looked back down the pass.

The avalanche had completely blocked it.

I knew the soft snow wouldn't be safe to walk on, especially not for what looked like over a mile of it. I'd have to find another way back.

But for now, I'd have to continue. I checked for a way down; the easiest way seemed to be to jump onto the leading edge of the avalanche and slide down, but that would be risky – I could easily bring down more snow around me. No, I wanted to stay as far away from the snowdrift as I could. Without an easy way down, I changed my mind – I decided to just follow the ridge until it became impassable.

I turned away from the immobile snow and headed onwards, up the last of the slope and then down slightly as the ridge wove around the mountainside. It looked fairly straight, and continued for some miles. At the end, far ahead, I thought I could see open air, though in the dim light, it was hard to tell.

My wolf eyes were sharper than my human form at night. I could see enough to guide me along the ridge. I came across loose rocks a few times, but having two extra feet greatly improved my stability – the moment I felt the ground give way, I just lifted that leg and checked the path again.

I walked slowly through the thin snow for a few miles as the Sun set far past the mountains. Eventually, I saw a massive cluster of rocks ahead of me that I couldn't cross. Time to get down.

I looked around for a quick descent and saw another barren tree. With precision, I bounded off the ridge and landed uneasily on the thick branch near the top. The tree swayed slightly, and I swung myself down to the ground as fast as I could. Having someone to guide my footing would have been a blessing…

I shook the snow from the tree out of my fur and continued onwards. Another hour passed in silence, and then I saw it.

Ahead, the pass opened out wide, and in the far distance, I could see the lights of a small village. As I got closer, I estimated it was about three miles away. I ran a few more estimates, coming to the conclusion that the pass had been roughly fifteen miles. I'd probably run four of those in one go during the avalanche.

I was tired, but I decided that getting to the village would be better than trying to find another place to rest. The night wore on as I trudged through the lighter snow out of the mountains.

Eventually, the rocks either side of me receded, and I stepped out into an open field, the size of Hyrule's biggest field, dusted lightly with snow that fell away the further from the peaks I walked. Trees were dotted here and there. Before long, I realised I wasn't going to reach the village, at least, not in time to find somewhere to sleep. Doubtless the entire place was asleep by now; sure enough the fires in the distance began to vanish.

I was starving, so I selected a tree and sat under it. I dug the crystal out of my pack and morphed back to two-legs.

Returning to human form was strange after being a wolf for so long – about two days. Granted, I'd never intended to stay a wolf, but it suited the terrain and the conditions. I found my hands clenched up by themselves to resemble paws, and my ears latched on the slightest sound.

I tried to get some normality back by gathering some wood from the dead tree beside me and building a small fire. I tried to light it with my knife and flint, but it refused to catch. The cold night was drawing in fast, so I dropped a small amount of lantern oil on the wood and struck a spark at it.

The fire ignited immediately, flames shooting up into the air. I held my hands out to the warmth for several minutes, until my hunger overtook me again. Just out of ease, I decided on some soup. I'd been in the cold for far too long; bread and meat just wouldn't fill me like hot soup could.

I fished out a bottle and placed it on top of the burning wood, removing the lid. Soon the smell of warm soup filled the air. And I became aware that I was not the only one enjoying the smell.

I could sense something was watching me again. I couldn't tell where or what it was, but I quietly drew the Blade of Courage from my pack. My warrior's senses scanned the land around me, my ears listening intently behind me.

Nothing appeared for the longest time but I refused to let my guard down. Finally, I picked the soup off the fire and took a sip. It was hot enough to burn my lips, so I struggled not to cry out as the hot meal tortured my mouth. In that moment, I caught sight of whatever was stalking me.

It was another animal, but it didn't seem wild. In the dark, I could only make out a black shape watching me. It stood and edged towards me. By the light of the fire, I saw it was a dog. Its fur was neatly brushed and its eyes were calm and docile. It was a pet more than a working animal, though I could sense its energy, its willingness to please its masters.

And its hunger.

I smiled. Dogs were always hungry.

"Hey there, boy," I tried. For some reason, I always assumed dogs were male. The dog approached me cautiously. It didn't fear me, but the fire. The flames seemed to make it uneasy. I reached into the pack and pulled out a small piece of meat, flinging it to the dog. I took a sip of the cooling soup as the dog sniffed the meat.

Then it did something strange.

Instead of devouring the meat, it gave a strange whine. Not one of friendship, or of fear. This seemed to be a trained response.

It was alerting someone. Distracting me.

Truth be told, I'd found it strange that such an animal was so far from the village – a pet would be kept close and fed as much as it needed. As it whined, I could sense more presences around me – I heard tree branches brushed aside, then the sound of metal against leather…

I didn't react until the last moment, taking another gulp of soup until I held the sword firmly. As soon as I had it, I rose and spun around, coming out from under the tree and facing the sounds.

Two men, one either side of the tree I had sheltered under, faced me. They wore mismatched clothes and carried vicious-looking daggers. They were thieves. And they had definitely picked the wrong person to steal from.

At the sight of my elegant sword, they looked on it with both fear and lust. There was no chance they'd get this blade off me – the only way they would end up with it would be if I impaled it through their ribs.

"Like my sword?" I mocked. "A bit more deadly than your daggers, I must warn you. And yes, I know how to use it."

"You could hurt someone with that thing, so why don't you just hand it over before we have to take it from you?" The one on my left said in a gruff voice.

"You really think you can take this from me? Ha, come and get it."

I backed away from the tree and the fire to give myself enough room to fight. They followed as I raised my sword.

In one move, I swung the sword into both their daggers, sending them spinning into the snow. Disarmed, their faces turned to fear.

"You really should pick your victims better. Two idiots going after a trained swordsman?"

They seemed to agree; they backed away. "Now get out of here before I change my mind about sparing you! And don't think you can play me, I'll know when you're gone!"

They didn't need telling twice. They turned and ran.

It was in that moment that I saw the one on the right stoop as he began to run.

When he fled, my pack was gone.

*

I thundered after them. They had two seconds' worth of head start; nothing in daylight, but at night, in the darkness, they could vanish into the black and I'd never see where they went.

I ran in the direction I'd seen them go. I realised that all my valuables were in that pack, and everything that would help me track them, too. My lantern, the Shadow… Goddesses, the Shadow was in that pack!

I'd grabbed a flaming branch from the fire to guide me in the blackness, and I saw their footprints in the snow. However, in seconds, the trail simply stopped.

We were still in the middle of the sparse trees. The only sound was the soft crackling of the burning branch, and that was quiet enough that I would hear footsteps in the snow.

I looked directly ahead of the end of the trail. We were miles from the village, but there was still a very good hiding place in front of me. A thick, bushy tree rose up.

Its branches moved ever so slightly, like they would in a soft breeze. Except the wind was still. Found them.

I couldn't see them or hear them; they were likely paralysing themselves to prevent me finding them. However, I just knew they were there. Their escape was too obvious.

The tree was far too green to burn, so I chose a different method of driving them out. I spun the sword, letting its metallic ring ripple through the air, and swung it into the tree trunk.

The tree shook with the impact and the sharp blade left an impressive notch in the wood. I smiled; I could have this tree down in seconds with a few good swings.

I drew back the sword and swung again. The tree shook more violently, and I could swear I heard a muffled cry from about halfway up. I swung again; the tree began to rock, its trunk weakening. Another blow and the tree itself began to swing. I watched the tree, seeing it bend in the middle where I knew the thieves must have been hiding; their weight was making the tree bend like that.

Amateurs. Honestly.

As the tree came back from its last swing and started a new one, I gave a final swing into the trunk as the notch opened. The sword cleaved through it cleanly and efficiently, and the whole tree collapsed forwards into the ground. I heard curses muffled by the branches as the tree fell, and wood crunched together with screams as it hit the ground.

I walked idly around to the point I knew they were hiding. They would be pretty dazed from that fall, if they were still awake at all. I held the burning branch over the tree and looked into the depths of the green branches.

Both were there, stunned stupid by the fall. One clutched my pack. I clipped off a few branches with the sword and used the blade to fish the pack out by its strap, being very careful not to slice through the strap with the vicious steel.

The one holding it was too dazed to realise what I was doing, and relinquished my pack without a fight. I placed it on the ground a few feet from the tree and checked it, placing the branch down and facing the tree at all times. I checked through the stuff, plucking out the lantern for light. I lit it and looked deeper.

Something was missing.

Something crucial.

I hung the lantern at my waist, giving me a free hand as well as my sword. I stormed back over to the tree. "Where's the crystal?"

They both moaned in confusion. They were far too dazed to understand what I was saying. With that, I reached into the branches, grabbed the ankle of the nearest thief and dragged him from the tree, the branches ripping his clothes and delivering small cuts to his exposed flesh. I wasn't stupid enough to go reaching into his coat pockets; instead, I used the sword to slice them open. From one fell a pack of meat, probably used to control the dog. From the other came an assortment of small blades. I couldn't see any bulges on his jacket; he probably wasn't carrying anything else.

Which meant the other one had it. Just to be on the safe side, I drew a short length of rope from the pack and spun it around his hands before returning to the tree.

Much to my surprise, the second thief appeared to have recovered. He looked me in the eyes. "Looking for this?" He said viciously, pulling something from his pocket.

It was the crystal.

Unwrapped.

Uh-oh.

"Give me that right now! It's magic and incredibly dangerous!" I commanded.

I had to say I had expected him to be particularly stupid, but his next move had my eyes doing somersaults at his idiocy.

He put the crystal in his mouth and swallowed it.

Not only would that have hurt like hell sliding down his throat, but it was concentrated Shadow magic. A tingling feeling swept through my skin. This was not going to end well.

I stepped back and watched him. He remained normal for some moments, but I knew the magic of the crystal wouldn't just sit around when it had a human victim to corrupt. It was only safe for me to touch.

Sure enough, seconds later, he began to convulse in pain. I watched his skin in the dim lantern-light – black simply swept up his arms and covered his hands. His face turned as black as the night. And then his body began to swell…

I had a fair idea of how Zant had created the Shadow Beasts now – casting Shadow magic into the Twili. I'd known they were people before Zant had corrupted them, but now I could guess what they had gone through – their bodies painfully morphing, the magic sweeping through their veins, corrupting them from the inside out, then attacking their minds…

The tree shook as he began to transform into the human version of the Shadow Beast. I had no idea what to expect. I backed way, picking up the pack as I went. I nearly tripped over the first thief, still dazed on the ground. I grabbed the rope at his wrist with my free hand and yanked him under the nearest tree. He didn't deserve to get hurt for his friend's stupidity.

Finally, the branches exploded outwards and an unsightly monster pulled itself out from the depths of the fallen tree. It had pure black skin, faint orange runes spiralling down its arms. Its hair had grown long and wild. It didn't possess the stone mask of the Shadow Beasts, but it was naked – all its clothes had ripped as its body had grown to nearly eight feet tall. Its arms were masses of muscle. Its hands had lengthened fingers. Its eyes were black with white pupils. Its mouth had row after row of sharp teeth. And it settled into a monstrous grin.

As I watched, steely claws extended from its fingers and it drew its head back to howl into the night. This wasn't a Shadow Beast.

This was far worse.

The beast lunged for me. I was more than ready; I rolled to the side as it shot past me. I guessed it didn't know how to fight…

Then it rolled as it hit the ground and turned to face me again. It dived at me and I jumped, sword poised for a powerful downward blow. I had to try to disable it somehow - a strike through the foot would be ideal...

It rolled out of the way, changing its path to go diagonal. My sword dug itself into the ground, and as I struggled to retrieve it, it turned to lunge again.

Its attacks were predictable, but still strong and fast. It must have known a few attacks from the crystal, and pumped up with magic, it was terrifyingly strong. I finally heaved the sword out of the ground as the creature bore down onto me. I rolled onto my back and it soared over me; I tried to raise my sword to cut its belly, but it leapt into the air.

I leapt up to face it again. The beast roared at me and shuffled to the side. I stepped to the other, my sword drawn. I loosed my shield and stood ready. For several moments we shuffled around, facing each other. Finally, it lunged for me. I tried a new tactic.

I dropped to my knees and rolled straight towards the beast, my shield and sword clattering together as we drew close together. At the last second I tried to rise, but my sword caught against the shield and I couldn't turn the sharp edge into the beast. If I had, it would likely have sliced its leg off. Instead, the flat of my blade smashed into its knee with force.

The beast stumbled, tripping against my shield and falling to the ground. I threw myself up to face it as it crashed into the snow, just outside of the lantern's range. As I approached, the beast recovered and lunged again. I was beginning to tire, but it was still ready to fight to the death. It was far too strong to simply stun. I realised heavily I would have to kill it, for everyone's sake. As I dodged, I also realised it could see better than I could in the darkness. I would have to even the odds before I would have a chance at it.

As I rounded on the crashing beast, I felt into the pack and drew an artefact I hadn't handled in months, even to practise with.

The Gale Boomerang.

I felt my memories clear, remembering how to use it. I saw a thick patch of snow at the base of a tree not far away. I focussed, working out where the beast would come from, and threw the boomerang.

As I did, the beast came at me again. I dived towards the boomerang, trying to force the beast to turn. It did.

The boomerang flew through the air, creating a tornado on the ground as it travelled. It flew above the snow mound and the wind it generated whipped it up into a small snowstorm. But the boomerang wasn't finished yet. Just as I planned, it reversed its course, heading straight back. The boomerang itself flew straight over the head of the approaching beast, but the snow it towed in its swirling vortex smashed into it, pummelling its eyes with freezing snow and ice. It wouldn't last, but it was enough.

The beast roared, its hands flying to its face as the freezing particles blinded it. I reacted immediately. I didn't want to, but I had to. For both of us.

With its hands involuntarily covering its face, its fragile belly was exposed. And then something slid aside in my mind. I felt rage, anger at being so constantly attacked, so constantly fighting for my life. I'd had enough. I wanted rid of it. My feral side forced its way to the surface, that primitive feeling of kill or be killed. It slipped out only for a second, but that was all it needed. I raised my sword and lunged.

I met no resistance. The beast never saw me coming, not that it would have had a chance. I felt air rush past me as the sword narrowed in on its target, and felt the thump as the blade knocked off a bone to slide perfectly between the beast's ribs, slicing through the flesh underneath and coming to rest with its tip exposed through the beast's back.

The beast's sounds cut off immediately. It didn't scream, grunt or make any sound to indicate it had been run through. I guessed I had wrecked its lung, perhaps even its heart. Heavily, I realised I had. The sword was perfectly placed in its chest.

It was dead before it flumped to the ground.

The beast keeled over backwards. As it struck the ground, it pushed the sword slightly out of its chest and lay immobile, its arms falling from its face. I turned and suppressed a sickening gag reflex that gripped me. It took me several moments to catch my breath. What had I done? I'd killed what used to be a human! Every time I played over that thought I nearly threw up. I'd killed so many animals on my journey and never experienced this reaction. Had I become so numb to killing? Goddesses, I'd had to force myself not to strike it down from the off! My chest heaved several times; I was only just aware of falling to my knees as it did. I fell forwards, supporting myself on my hands as I tried not to heave up my last meal.

It took me several minutes to recover. I just couldn't believe what I had done. I was disgusted with myself for handing everything over to Link the Adventurer. Now I was Link the Murderer. I slowly told myself there was no alternative. The idiot had been poisoned by Shadow magic. The only reason I could survive it was because of my Triforce. That crystal would do too much damage to an ordinary human – even if I'd gotten it out of him, I had no way to drive back the dark magic that consumed him. Heavily, I accepted what I had done. It was necessary, both for me and for everyone else. If I'd left that beast, who knows what it would have done – caved into its primitive desires for food, killing everything in the area? Decimating the nearby village? Rampaging through the world like the Shadow Beasts?

Now mostly recovered, I realised I had something else to do. Something gruesome. I had to retrieve the crystal. I cringed as I raised the sword, slicing open its gut. The sword went through its flesh like a hot knife through goat's cheese. Black blood flowed from the wound. I poked the sword around and eventually located something solid. I grimaced as I reached my gloved hand into the depths of the creature and located the solid object. Wearing gloves, it wouldn't transform me if it was the crystal. I pulled it out, placing it on the ground. I speared the sword into the ground and reached into the pack with my clean hand, pulling out the bottle of spring water. There wasn't much left, but there was enough to rinse the blood off my glove and the object. As I poured the water over the object, I saw orange accents appear, and it stayed black in the lantern light.

It was the crystal.

With it out of the creature, the beast began to revert back to a human. Slowly, like the magic was bleeding out of it. As it changed back, I went over to the tree, searching for his clothes. I found the remnants of his jacket, and in the inside pocket, the black cloth I kept the crystal in.

I came back to the crystal and wrapped it in the cloth. I looked up to see the second thief awake. Paralysed in fear.

"You see what happened to your buddy here?" I said sharply, in a voice that wasn't mine. It was angry.

The thief couldn't speak, but nodded slightly, his eyes fixed on the mutated body of his friend.

"That was dark magic in this crystal. It's only safe for me to touch. I warned him, told him it was dangerous, but he didn't listen. I think, for both our sakes, if anyone asks, he was mauled by wolves, don't you?"

He nodded again, still frozen by fear. I walked over to him, pulling my sword from the ground. I crouched in front of him and untied his hands. "I think you'd better go home and not speak of this to anyone."

He didn't need a second telling. He was up and running in seconds. I don't think he stopped for a mile. His direction took him away from the village, so I hoped I could avoid some awkwardness when I finally reached it. In the meantime, I spotted the boomerang and returned it to the pack. Next, I touched the crystal and morphed into a wolf. By the lantern's light, I started digging. I dug a trench beside the creature. It had ceased mutating, and now looked like a horrible cross between a human and a Shadow Beast. I guessed either its death had halted its return, or the magic had dug in too deep. If so, there truly was no way to restore it.

It took me an hour or two to dig through the snowy ground into the frozen earth beneath it, but my wolf paws made short work of the soil, ice or not. Soon enough, I had a shallow grave for the creature. I looked away as I heaved the body into the pit I'd dug. I still heard the sickening, wet thud as the desecrated body hit the bottom. As quickly as I could, I threw the displaced earth back over the body. It was far from neat – it was quite obvious a pit had been dug here. However, it would still take some finding in these woods. I probably had a day or so before the thief cracked and told someone. I'd have to use it wisely if I wanted to avoid suspicion. Though I knew I had acted to defend not just myself but others, I knew that simply killing anyone, whatever the reason, wouldn't help my case.

Great, I thought. The first thing I do in a new place is kill something.

I could try to return, find a way across the snowdrift and go back to Hyrule. Though by now, I'd return more broken than I left. I just couldn't go back, couldn't run away from this. I vowed to myself, either I'd come back from this journey happy with who I was, or I'd never return. I'd just keep going, not looking back. Get as far away from civilisation as possible. Go to a place where my actions wouldn't hurt people, where I could be alone with my wasted life…

* * *

**I'd wondered what Shadow magic would do to an ordinary human, and I envision a cursed crystal would do something not unlike this. I hope I got Link's state of mind right - I don't think he kills things unnecessarily.  
Next chapter will be up momentarily!**


	12. Chapter 10: Onward

**Here's the next part! Sorry it's a bit short, but hey, I didn't want to force the writing! I'm trying to get Link on his way.  
I forgot to welcome the new readers in the last chapter - welcome to Yenattrib and hmathis121398 as new regular readers!  
Another spot of fun for Link now, in the true spirit of the Zelda mini-game! Hey, if it gets you something you need, why not?  
Disclaimer: you know...  
Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 10  
Onward

I couldn't sleep. The fight had tired me greatly, but I still couldn't close my eyes without seeing the look in that monster's eyes as it died – the grim acceptance of its fate, the life and whatever light remained leaving them, the unbroken stare in those bottomless pupils as the beast fell.

It would haunt my dreams, I just knew it. It is said that killers who look into the eyes of those they kill are forever marked with the spirit of their victim, that empty gaze branded onto their own souls forever. I had taken so many lives in my quest and I had never made that mistake. I had killed without pity, telling myself they were monsters. And that's all I saw – monstrous creatures. I had never seen the true forms some of them had. And now I had watched it happen, and fallen into the trap. I'd seen the beast's life leave it, the last parts of its humanity dying at my hand. I felt the fiery mark burning into my mind.

All at once, having seen the Twili in their true forms, the Shadow Beasts swarmed around me in my mind, their ghosts haunting me for the rest of my days, screaming in anger for vengeance. They were led by that hideous Black Beast, whose face flicked back and forth between a beast, and a human…

When the Sun rose several hours later, I heaved myself off the ground, shaking my head vigorously as if it would dislodge the memories to fall to a deep pit in my mind. It brought some relief, and I looked around. Some snow had fallen during the night, but not much. The tree I had sheltered under, by the fire, had taken most of it, and I slept in my wolf form again. The last thing I wanted was the surviving thief returning and finding me, especially if he brought more people. Hopefully, if he did, he'd remember my warning and keep to the story. Even then, if he brought friends, they could easily believe a wolf had killed him. As for the buried body, that was more for my benefit than theirs. By the time anyone found its resting place and dug it out, I'd be long gone.

The snow rippled out of my fur and I stretched, before reaching for the crystal and morphing back. I looked at the crystal, so innocent from a distance, but menacing when held. How much trouble could such a small thing cause? How much magic did it contain?

If the crystal held that much magic, how much did the SHADOW hold? That started to scare me. I couldn't allow these objects of great power to escape my grasp. They were too dangerous. I would not leave the bag again, and if I had no choice, I would ensure no-one could get access to the artefacts. I dropped the crystal deep into the pack and secured its strap. Everything else was inside it. For good measure, I broke apart the burnt wood and scattered it around the trees, making sure no-one could tell there'd been a fire here. As I turned to leave, I saw the bottle of soup was still on the ground. Still half-eaten. I was slightly hungry, and after checking it was untouched, I tried some.

It wasn't very good cold, but it would still help sustain me. I couldn't risk making another fire. I had to be as far away from this desecrated ground as I could.

I set off towards the village. In the distance, I saw the signs of waking life; horses walked around carrying men, wood and equipment, people crossed behind houses and windows on those houses opened.

It took me an hour to walk the distance between the start of the woods and the entrance to the village. There was no boundary to it; once the houses began, so did the village.

As soon as I walked between the first houses, I felt out of place. The villagers wore very simple dress, plain white and brown for the working men, and dull colours among the women and children. I stood out awkwardly in my bright green tunic; I almost shouted my presence to the villagers. Some looked at me like I had.

One of the men crossed to me and gave me an unsure look. "Hello young man, are you here for any particular reason?" He seemed friendly, and fairly sure of himself, quite in charge. He wore a simple white shirt, beaten and torn and hideously dirty. His trousers were brown and appeared to be heavily worn leather. Farming clothes. His hair was untidy and also dirty, so much I couldn't tell if it was naturally brown. His face had the look of one who lived a simple life, and his green eyes had a friendly aura of one who enjoyed that simple life.

I gave an honest answer. "Yes, I'm on a journey for knowledge." I knew it was hardly smart to ask about the World's Point unless I wanted that quizzical look from everyone. "Do think I might be able to find some information on your land here?"

"Information on our land? What do you mean?" His look grew more interested.

"I've come here from Hyrule."

"You made it through the mountain pass alone?" He now looked shocked.

"Yes, is that unusual?"

He lowered his head to me. "The last person to try never returned. We think wolves got him. Everyone in Arylus travels in pairs. Even our messengers to other lands."

"I can handle myself," I said bluntly. "I've trained myself to survive and to work alone." It was a white lie; though I had guidance, I did most everything myself.

"So what is it you seek?"

"Well, I'm not really sure. Do you have a library, maybe?"

He laughed. "We're a simple farming village, young sir! Only one in the village knows how to read, and that's Mayor Rist. You want a library, you'd best be heading to Turris."

"What's that?"

"Turris is the capital of our land. I guess Hyrule holds little information on us."

"I think you're right; Hyrule keeps losing its records in strange incidents," I said, trying to keep my face straight as I thought of the absurd situations Hyrule regularly found itself in.

"Well, young man, I think you will be wanting to go north to Turris. It's a few days ride; where is your horse? It must need food and water."

I gritted my teeth; it was enough that I'd made it here without a partner. What if I told him I had no steed? "Well, I didn't have a horse…"

He looked taken aback. "You made it here on foot? That's crazy! How??"

I grinned. "Like I said, I can handle myself."

"You truly are a mysterious young man," he said, his face growing more friendly. "Do you have a name?"

"Yes, it's Link." I held out my left hand, gloved to cover the mark. He took it with a filthy hand and spoke as he shook, "I'm Hurmer, chief farmer of this village. Oh, and you're currently in the village of Gurta."

"It's a nice place," I said, subtly brushing my recovered hand on my tunic. The houses were simple, like in Ordon. There was a close community atmosphere here, very homely. The villagers had long since gone back to their day. I could relate to that; if Bo or Rusl were talking to a new arrival, most of us would trust them to carry on. "What do you farm here?"

"We grow wheat and oats. The plains around the Adlor Mountains are rich and fertile, and this is the only place where Adlor wheat grows. The village grew up around the wheat."

I saw him gaze up at the mountains behind us and followed him. "The Adlor Mountains, huh?"

From this side, with three miles between the village and the rocks, I could see them clearly. There were three distinct peaks, the central one being the tallest. The pass seemed to wind between the tallest and the one to its right, from here. The range continued fairly evenly in either direction. And then it occurred to me that the flat land around here had fairly stable weather.

"The Adlor Mountains are very strange," Hurmer seemed to answer my thoughts. "The weather here is so rarely wintery like on the peaks. We get light snow, but nothing more. And the wheat seems to thrive on it. The clouds gather around the mountain peaks and seem only to cause storms on the other side."

"Has anyone ever climbed the mountains?" I asked, trying to sound casual.

Hurmer laughed again. "Ah, not since ages past. It is well-known that Durik Peak can be climbed, though it's a desolate place. Sacrec Peak has lots of strange plants and animals and was regularly explored, but its climb is much harder than Durik. And Arrik Peak? That mountain cannot be climbed to the top. Many died trying to reach the top, despite what seems like a safe route up."

"Which peaks are which?"

"Left is Durik, right is Sacrec, and Arrik's in the middle."

"Arrik is the really tall one?" I confirmed. I looked at it; the rock rose out of the ground and pierced the clouds above it. I couldn't see the top, and if what I knew of mountains was right, it could be hundreds of feet straight up into the dark clouds above.

"Yep. You're not thinking of trying, are you son?" He gave a half-grin.

_Not any more,_ I thought. "Not at all." I smiled.

"Hey listen, it'll take you more than a week to reach Turris on foot. Maybe if you talked with Mayor Rist, he might be able to loan you a horse for your journey. That is, assuming you know how to ride…?"

I grinned. "Best in my village back home." I thought of Epona. She loved journeying, and it felt like I was turning my back on her to think about riding another horse, but I had seen her before I left Hyrule; she was hurt, but not badly. She understood I had to go and didn't try to stop me. How was it that animals always knew what their closest humans felt?

If I had to, I would walk or run the distance to the town, but a horse could greatly cut my travel time. The Twilight hadn't grown out of Hyrule, thankfully, but that meant there were no warp portals here. I'd have to do this the old-fashioned way. "If I could loan a horse for the journey, that'd be great!"

"OK son, let's go see the mayor."

We walked towards the centre of the village. It was a mismatch of oddly-shaped houses, not unlike Ordon. At the other side of the village, I saw a vast field of crops, which I guessed grew out further than I could see. Hurmer stopped at a house near the centre. "Oh, the Mayor's in the field checking on the workers," he said, noting the door was closed. A small sign hung on it, made of carved wood, depicting a single strand of wheat. I guessed they'd come up with a system of signs to keep track of each other.

Hurmer led the way to the wheat field. I was right.

It was immense.

The wheat extended out as far as I could see across the plain. It must have covered many acres of fertile soil. It was planted very neatly; the ground around the wheat was untouched, while the soil was carefully ploughed in neat lines. The crop field had straight edges and seemed square.

Near the right edge, a cluster of people worked among the crops, the wheat chest height to them. As we drew closer, I counted four people – three dressed like Hurmer, though if possible, even dirtier. The fourth was a squat man, quite stout. Though he stood a head shorter than the workers around him, he was clearly the one in charge.

Even now, he was barking commands at the workers to prepare the wheat for the winter. The workers obeyed without question, not fearing him. As we approached, he spun around to face us. "Hurmer, good day," he said in a gruff voice. He was clearly deep in his work.

"Rist, may we have a few minutes? I had met the strangest individual in the village," Hurmer said. I couldn't tell if he knew I could hear him, but I thought, 'If you only knew, Hurmer…'

The mayor stepped away from the crop field but I could tell it was with reluctance. He came up to me and I introduced myself. "Link, from Hyrule."

"Rist, mayor of Gurta," he said, shaking my hand. "Do you travel alone?"

"Yes, I do, sir," I said politely. If I could appease him enough, it might buy me use of a horse.

"Most impressive. You have the air of a seasoned adventurer around you, young sir. What is it you wish to ask?"

"I'm seeking some very obscure knowledge, and Hurmer has recommended I travel to Turris, though I don't have a horse."

The mayor's mind seemed to backflip at this information. "You made it through the mountains without a horse??"

"I'm pretty adapted to the snow." With a little intervention.

"And now, you seek a horse to aid your travel to Turris?"

"If it's possible." I decided not to offer money yet, see if I could make a deal that would suit us both.

"Well son, a horse is quite a large thing to put on the table, so to speak. Gurta is an isolated village. We sustain ourselves here. It is most regretful that we do not possess enough resources to aid even Royal Messengers who rest here. Sorry but we can't give you one."

"I won't need to keep it," I suggested. "I only need to ride between here and Turris, then back. You'd have it back in a few days."

The mayor stopped to think, considering it. I guessed I had impressed him enough by getting here alone. Perhaps he wouldn't mind loaning a steed to a worthy adventurer for a few days…

"Hmm, you make a decent argument for yourself, young sir. However, as of right now, we need the horses to make regular runs to the forest. We have a pest problem that won't be dealt with."

My ears pricked up slightly, which with my ears, was probably quite noticeable. "Pest problem?"

"Aye, voloms have infested the crop field. We're keeping them at bay until the winter with special flowers; they make the voloms sick and force them to hide. But they only work for so long."

I broke into a grin. "Maybe I can help you there."

*

The mayor filled me in on the voloms. They were like gophers, but fast – they could dig a tunnel through dense soil in seconds, to the point where one could see the ground displace above them. And they had to dig close to the surface to snare the roots of the Adlor wheat they fed upon. As he gave more and more details, I quickly formed a plan. Supposedly, there were six of the creatures in the field that they knew of.

I stood close to a spot the creatures frequented. The mayor regarded me with concern for his crops, but seemed to trust me enough. From the pack, I withdrew a single Clawshot. This brought looks of extreme interest from the building crowd of farmers. I decided not to bother explaining its function, but instead give them a demonstration.

True enough, I saw the soil shake as though a large man were running in a tunnel below it. I worked out where the small creature would be in relation to the soil, picked my moment as it drew close to a particularly juicy-looking plant and fired.

Within the device, my hand squeezed a handle, releasing the immense energy stored in a tightly-coiled spring. With it, a pair of arms snapped out, catching the claw and launching it on a straight path out of the machine with a bang. The spring turned its attention to unwinding the chain attached to the claw, which flew out of the device as fast as the claw.

The claw itself snapped open as soon as I aimed it, and the three-pronged device flew like a poised hand towards the spot I had picked. Just as I hoped, it sank into the soil, ignoring the soft material around it until something solid tripped the switch in the claw's centre, causing it to snap shut around the object.

A sophisticated device within the clockwork machinery sensed that the claws had found their target and were no longer moving, and changed the Clawshot over to a second spring, this one attached to gears that worked in reverse. In moments, the Clawshot was winding in the victorious claw.

And it was indeed victorious. As I watched the claw rise from the soil, I found my aim had been true. The clockwork mechanism clanked and whirred almost in time to the struggles of a tiny black creature caught within the metal talons. Moments later, the claw joined the body of the device, and I saw the creature up close.

It had tiny, almost invisible eyes, pure black like the rest of its body. Its ears were large and pushed back into its furry body, and its snout extended far beyond its head. Its front legs were longer than most animals', and held vicious-looking claws. I had no doubt they could cause a nasty scratch on a human, and I guessed it would if I tried to release it.

I looked at the crowd for instruction, but they were in awe of my actions. I sighed and met eyes with Hurmer. "Okay, what do I do with this nuisance then?"

He seemed to snap out of his trance. "Oh yeah, right…" He quickly slung a sack off his back and threw it over to me. I opened it and placed the claw in the mouth, carefully flicking the release-rearm switch on the side of the claw.

The little animal dropped into the sack and floundered harmlessly inside it.

"Someone hold this, please," I asked. Rist came over, probably for a better look, and held the sack closed against the escape attempts of the little furball.

I had similar successes with the remaining creatures – I managed to capture two more with only a keen eye and careful timing. However, the fourth seemed to have gotten the idea and made wild course changes whenever it heard the bang of the claw's mechanical release. After several frustrating tries, I managed to catch it by pure blind luck, picking a direction it might scatter to after I released the claw.

"They're getting pretty good at this," Rist said as I dumped the fourth black bundle into the sack. "Think you can get any others?"

The Shadow seemed to be listening, and grabbed my attention with the quiet suggestion I use its vision to see through the dirt. However, I shooed it away. Such abilities, even if no-one could see what I was doing, would only arouse suspicion. Instead, when the fifth decided to try for a meal, I got Hurmer to throw me another sack, wrapped it around the Clawshot and held it in place as I took precise aim.

When I fired this time, the sack suppressed enough of the Shot's launching sound that the volom didn't hear it coming. It was snatched with complete surprise out of the ground and dumped unceremoniously in the sack with its brethren.

"Link, m'boy, that'll do fine! Don't worry about the last one," Rist said cheerily to me. "With only one more, it won't cause nearly as much trouble as the group, and we can manage with going after less of the flowers!" He tied up the sack with the squirming animals inside. "Hulu," he said, hefting the sack into the arms of one of the farmers, "Dispose of those, would you?"

"Don't kill them," I said softly as he walked off. "They were only after food," I said to Rist as he gave me a strange look.

"Okay, Hulu!" Rist called at him. He turned to listen. "Toss them out in the woods, will you?" Hulu nodded and continued off into the village.

"The tree roots'll give them something to think about," Hurmer laughed at Rist.

"So Link, m'boy, what is that fascinating device?" Rist said, clearly wanting one himself.

"It's called a Clawshot," I said, hefting it. "It's a pretty common farmer's tool in Ordon," I decided to lie. Not worth the risk saying it was rare.

Rist seemed to catch my deception. "Oh, but you strike me as something more than a simple farmer! Quite a load this device seems to hold!"

"It's pretty versatile, yeah. But I need this one."

"Hmm, very well then Link. I offer you a trade – you may loan one of our horses if we may loan this 'Clawshot' at the same time. Call it a little insurance for one of our horses," he added with a friendly smile. I couldn't blame him – I'd only known them a few hours and gained some trust, but not total. Okay, it was a decent deal – I had the other Clawshot for now, and I'd have to return the horse before I attempted to climb Arrik Peak, so I could reclaim it then.

"Sounds fair to me," I said with a friendly smile. I slid the device off my arm and showed Rist how to use it. "Watch what you're aiming at, the claws are pretty sharp," I warned him as he swung the device to point near one of the farmers. He re-aimed and loosed the claw at a small rock in the wheat field, bringing it quickly back to him.

"Okay sonny, this is a pretty neat device. Hurmer, see to it that Link gets a steed to take him to Turris!" I got the feeling that Rist wanted to play with it. I smiled, remembering how much I had played with it in the Water Temple, hanging from ceilings above moving platforms, before I got the second…

Before Zant…

I shook my head to banish the memory and turned to Rist, who was preparing to let it loose again. "Look after that thing, my father gave it to me! I want it back in one piece!" I lied again, sounding more natural this time. I was guessing that this mention of family ownership would stop him doing anything stupid with it.

"Rest assured, Link, we'll look after it!" Rist said, firing it at a sixth trail of furiously-moving earth. Happy hunting, I thought as Hurmer led me into the village.

"Well the mayor seems pleased," he said when we were out of earshot.

"He seems like a five-year-old again!" I laughed, and Hurmer joined in.

"Ah yes, the mayor's bored with being the smartest one of us. We all accept it, but that doesn't stop him wanting new toys to play with! I hope he doesn't wear that one out!"

We laughed again, and I reassured myself that if that device was thousands of years old and had passed through many hands before my own, it would survive a simple farmer!

Hurmer led me to a simple stable. It was built like the other houses here, out of off-cuts of wood and plants. It wasn't pretty but it kept horses warm and dry. Inside were several animals, all content and flicking their tails idly.

"Okay, let's see… Strinner went out for a long ride yesterday so she needs to rest, Ruxy's pregnant, Olley's lame… I guess it's between Tharor and Sula. You prefer a boy or girl?"

"Girl, I guess," I said, thinking about how Epona and I worked so well together.

"Okay, Tharor it is, my friend. She's pretty easy-going and doesn't spook easily; she'll get you to Turris inside of three days. Probably best you didn't choose Sula; one fright and he'll have you in Turris in about a minute. Well, what's left of you!" He laughed. I laughed too; a skittish, high-speed horse would probably be beyond my ability to handle.

Hurmer opened the door and selected a white mare munching out of a wooden hay manger. She whinnied softly when she sensed him approach, and nibbled his hand in friendship when he held it out. She seemed to know she had a duty calling her and followed Hurmer out of the stables. As he reached the door, he stooped and picked up a simple leather saddle and bridle. Not like the fancy leathers I had for Epona, but they'd do.

As he closed the door behind the horse, I held my hand out to say hi. Tharor took a long sniff of my hand, judging whether I was friend or foe. Evidently, she decided on the former, as she licked my hand a few times. I rubbed her long nose and looked her over. She was mostly white with patches of grey, and a grey mane and off-white tail. She was pretty slender, not as muscular as Epona, but she was confident and just as proud. Hurmer slipped the tack on her back and strapped on the saddle, passing me the bridle. I placed it over her head and she willingly took it. She seemed to like being ridden, and that was fine by me.

"Okay friend, she's all ready! Take good care of her and she'll do the same for you!" Hurmer said, giving me a thumbs-up. I nodded, stroked her neck and swung myself onto her saddle.

She readjusted her feet as my weight slid onto her back, but she didn't complain. "Thanks, Hurmer!"

"Right, Turris is directly that way," he said, pointing out of the village. "The land's one big plain as far as Turris; you can't miss it, can see it for miles! Just keep going that way, you won't get lost!"

"Many thanks, Hurmer! I'll see you in a few days!"

"It was nice meeting you, Link! See you soon!" He waved at me as I clicked my tongue, persuading the mare to head off. I waved as we left the village. Onward to answers…

* * *

**Hope you're enjoying Link's new adventure - it'll probably be a few days before I have anything else up. Two brutal shifts at work are approaching fast, then meetup with friends. Ah well.  
As ever, R&R please! Not too late to make them my Xmas present! Also, questions, comments, ideas, mistakes, let me know! I read everything posted/mailed and try to respond to it!  
If I'm not back before, happy new year all!**


	13. Chapter 11: Arrival

**Guess who's back? Didn't think I'd have another chapter up before New Year's as I'd booked extra shifts at work, but today got cancelled, so what else was I going to do? :)  
Welcome to new regular readers gerudothief31, madori and darkness in light54, and thanks to madori, NinjaSheik and Rebelgoddesses13 for their reviews! Thanks also to ConGie for that rather nice review that must have been posted while I was busy doing this update - great timing! Keep 'em coming, even if it's just to say hi!  
I hope you don't mind the slower pace of this chapter. I've been a bit stuck for ideas, but this should improve next chapter.  
Disclaimer: think I can do without this now. Same for past, present and future chapters.  
Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 11  
Arrival

Tharor proved to be as eager to reach Turris as I did; without persuasion, she launched into a canter across the Adlor Plains into the unknown.

Arylus looked quite like Hyrule – wide, open plains, masses of space and civilisation spread thinly around it. Though three days was pushing the distance – I could reach Hyrule from Ordon in two. Then again, I knew a few shortcuts and Epona had to be fastest horse I knew of.

For a few hours we galloped continuously. I didn't need to say anything to her; she was happy to go full speed for as long as she could. It didn't seem to matter that her rider came from a distant land and that she'd only known him a short time; she seemed to desire only one thing – an excuse to journey. I smiled. I could relate to this horse.

After hours of running, I pulled her to a gentle halt for her own good. No point burning up all her energy in one go, even if that's what she wanted. We stopped under the shade of a tree, though the winter Sun was far from harsh. The tree bore a few apples; they weren't much, but I was sure Tharor would appreciate them. I knocked them down with some well-aimed sticks and handed them to her; she demolished them in seconds.

I ate one of the rations I had gained from the castle; the meat was definitely good. It had been well-preserved too, not drenched in salt like so much traveller's meat I had tasted. Jerky, they called it. That stuff was as tough as eating leather, tasted like pure salt and I could swear it dried my insides just as effectively. Still, on the quest, that stuff had sustained us both. However, it was nice to have some better food this time around!

I finished my lunch and looked around. The plains went on for miles. Trees were dotted around, but the entire place was flat. No hills, no landmarks.

Nothing.

As I searched the horizon, I caught sight of a small object rising out of the land, far in the distance. It had to be the town of Turris, but it was uncountable miles away. It would take us about three days at this rate – though Tharor could probably do it in less, for her own good I didn't want her to discover her limits. I would make do with a slower pace if it meant my steed wouldn't need to be revived regularly!

Soon, feeling refreshed and content, we started off again.

*

Two days passed in the same cycle – several hours of high-speed running, the wind blasting my hair back and the landscape rocketing past, then an hour or so of quality rest and food. Tharor didn't even stop at night; she was just pure energy! Nothing would tire her! I had to really persuade her to stop when night fell. Granted, it didn't get totally dark, but there was something about travelling in darkness that still unnerved me.

Or perhaps it was what was in the darkness that still unnerved me.

When the Sun fell and cast the world to shadow, everything became so alien. In such different light, that of the moon and stars, the whole world simply changed to a different place. There was beauty in darkness, but I didn't see it. All I cared about was seeing what lay ahead of me, and if necessary, what armed creatures were circling me. Night gave me neither of those things.

I had grown to hate the time the world fell into shadow, especially when it fell past _that light_. At night, I had to rest. I was vulnerable and felt it, so I didn't sleep like a normal person, and usually woke up at the slightest sound.

What I'd been through had changed me so much…

By the start of the second day, as I rose from the camp I'd hastily set up a couple of hours before, I looked over the horizon to see Turris more clearly. It was quite like Hyrule; a massive wall ran around the outside, so tall I couldn't see within. But it was still miles away. The Hawkeye made everything seem so much closer…

Tharor wasn't complaining. As soon as I was on her back we were off, no instructions necessary. I forced her to rest properly one last time before we reached the city. As I set up camp just a few miles from the outer wall, the darkness falling around me, I could feel something long repressed. A sense of an answer, a solution so close to hand. A few more hours and I might have one.

I slept uneasily that night, both eager to complete this part of the journey, and haunted by the chance that what I sought was false.

When I awoke the next morning, stretching my legs and arms, I saw Tharor wide awake. She was waiting for another high-speed run. But when I packed up the lantern and solitary blanket that made up the camp, I remembered Zelda telling me it was just a legend. And what were legends, anyway? An elaborate story from long ago, long since corrupted from what little truth they might have before they were even written.

I'd journeyed far away from home. I was in another land, seeking something to fill the empty space within me. I felt more than empty now.

I was alone.

I finally caught the weight of the words spoken to me by Hurmer and Rist. I'd never been truly alone before now. And that's what I felt. I'd torn myself away from anyone else I knew. I didn't even have my horse at my side this time. This companion was new to me and seemed to have a one-track mind. And she didn't speak to me…

What worried me was that I was alone in my belief in the World's Point, or that I might even find a single answer here.

I was on my own. Truly alone, being driven by a corrupted dream. I was here because I wanted to get away from everything I'd fought for. I'd latched onto the first chance to go. But there were two options – give up and go back, which I couldn't, or go forward and try to find something.

_There's nothing for you back there,_ said that little voice. _Keep going for as long as it takes. Find something. Or never stop searching for it. Because as soon as you stop, you have no purpose._

That was it. I was finding myself a purpose, no matter how small, something to justify my day-to-day life. And adventuring had just leapt out at me.

Better get to it.

I leapt up onto Tharor and she immediately took off.

*

It only took a few hours to reach the town. On the opposing side of the plain ran a shallow river, a wooden bridge across it. There was no moat around the town, but I saw spires rising out of the centre of the settlement as we rode up to it. This was the seat of power.

I climbed off Tharor and walked up to the closed gates. I rapped my knuckles on the door.

A metal panel at eye-level snapped aside and I saw a pair of brown eyes behind it. "Who goes there?" Said a cautious voice.

"My name is Link. I journey from Hyrule seeking knowledge."

"Hyrule, eh?" The eyes searched me. I realised the sword and shield were quite visible on my back. "You travel well-armed for a scholar, young man. What knowledge do you seek?"

I thought for a second how best to say it. "I'm looking for information on an ancient legend and Hyrule has no more to offer."

"Ha, so you thought you'd just waltz in here uninvited?"

"If it helps, I also have a letter for Orlon, brother of the King, from Princess Zelda, monarch of Hyrule, that I must deliver personally." I reached into my pack and pulled out the letter, showing the Hyrule Royal seal and Orlon's name on the front. I always had to be someone else...

The guard read the envelope through the gate, gave up and opened it. "You will go straight to the castle in the centre of the town. This guard will accompany you," he told me as I walked through the gate. Another man stepped forward, dressed in chain-mail and wearing a light helmet. The chain-mail held a fabric front, stained blue and bearing a crest, presumably the Royal crest of Arylus. At his waist was a small sword, but he had a confident stance and I could just tell he knew how to handle his blade.

The first guard appeared from behind the gate and beckoned me forwards. I tugged Tharor's reins and she ambled through the gate. As soon as she was through, the guard shut the gate, locking it behind me. The guard then took Tharor to hitch her to a post by a water trough, from which she gladly drank. I turned away from her to look at where I was.

As I looked around, I saw a scene so much like Castle Town I almost began to guide myself through it. People huddled around stalls, talking animatedly to sellers. Stone buildings were arranged in regular rows, and over their roofs, I saw the towers of the castle. Unlike Hyrule, the Royalty here had not distanced themselves from the townspeople.

The guard led the way through the crowd, which parted respectfully as we went through. There was a much more understanding atmosphere than back home; in Hyrule, the crowds gathered and wouldn't be parted, except when they saw something they feared, I thought with a grin. A few people saw my face rise and returned a smile.

It was actually quite friendly here; not the cold, distant feeling I'd got from the guard.

My escort walked up to the castle. It rose hundreds of feet above the town, built from rough stone and wood. The high gates were closed, but as soon as the guard approached, they began to open. I saw other guards high above the ground on the castle walls, keeping a watchful eye over the day-to-day living. Presumably, the sentries also opened the gates on sight of the guard to attract the minimum of attention, so as not to disturb the crowds.

We both entered the castle. I found myself in a long room, guards posted regularly on both walls. A red carpet run from the gates to what appeared to be thrones at the very end of the room.

The King and his Queen sat on them, among their people. I thought about that for a moment; Zelda was actually quite far from her people, the castle alone outside the town, and the seats of power so high above the ground. It struck me as odd how the previous rulers got away with being so distant. Being here, on the same level as the rulers, was very different. Then again, the whole style of life here was different. In Hyrule, a land so used to disasters and the unexpected, everyone was secretly on edge, prepared for the worst. By contrast, everyone here was much more laid back, much more natural.

'Well, that's probably why the two castles differ,' I thought. 'Hyrule needs to protect its rulers more than Arylus, it seems.'

The guard led us along the carpet, his head bowed. I followed in step behind him, my head bowed likewise. When we were a few feet before the King and Queen, the guard fell to his knee. I copied him.

"Your Majesty, a messenger from Hyrule brings a message for Orlon," the guard said.

"Thank you Rikkar. Rise, young man," I heard the King say. He had a deep, powerful voice. I obeyed and looked up at the King. He wore elaborate clothes and much jewellery. A large gold and red crown sat on his head, over his flaming red hair. His eyes were kind and gentle, a pleasant green colour. And his face had begun to show his age, but he carried an air of friendliness.

"Thank you, Your Majesty," I said respectfully. I drew the letter from the pack again, noticing it had slightly creased from where I had produced it earlier. Oops. "Here it is," I said, trying not to sound like I'd noticed.

"Rikkar," the King said. The guard was also standing upright and was now listening intently. "Please go and summon Orlon."

"At once, your Majesty." The guard bowed and turned swiftly to face a door in the wall to our right. He walked through silently.

I started to feel quite awkward, alone before royalty. It felt almost like being naked before a crowd. And I knew what that felt like, roughly. That was the last time I would ever get drunk with Fado…

"Young man, you wear an odd garb for a messenger," the King said, evidently wanting to get to know me. "And you carry yourself more like a warrior than a man whose job it is to deliver letters."

'Definitely,' I thought, thinking of the mailman back in Hyrule and carefully suppressing the smile. "Yes your Majesty. The Princess of Hyrule asked me to deliver this letter as I wished to visit Arylus."

"Ah, I see. And what is your usual duty in Hyrule?"

I paused. What to say?

"Well, your Majesty… I don't really have a job back home. I used to be a farm hand, but something happened in Hyrule recently that made me think about my life."

"A farm hand, personally sent by the Princess?" The King smiled and laughed softly. "You must be the best farm hand in the land, young man. What is your name?"

"Link, your Majesty."

"So, young Link, you wished to visit Arylus. Well, may I take the pleasure of welcoming you to our land. I wish to give you no reason to fear anything here, especially myself. Please excuse the guards; they can be a little too good at their jobs."

"That's perfectly all right, your Majesty. I would prefer someone to do their job too well than not well enough."

"Indeed, young man," the King chuckled. "You have the air of someone who has seen much more of the world than their years would suggest."

"Thank you, your Majesty."

"Now, what is it you journey to our land for?"

"I'm seeking some knowledge on an ancient legend. Hyrule has no more to give, and I would truly desire to visit your library."

"You journey such a distance to read books?" The King chuckled again, and there was no disdain in his voice. He seemed to find the concept of my journeying here to look up a legend amusingly absurd. "But of course! Once Orlon has arrived to receive his letter, I believe there is no reason why you shouldn't be allowed into the library!" He chuckled again, perhaps wondering how a simple farm hand could even read. I had Rusl to thank for that; he insisted I learn to read and write, mostly to learn Hyrule's history. He often told me he could tell I was more intelligent than my look gave away. Something in my eyes…

(~^~)

Fearful eyes stared back at me from the mirror. Had he given the letter to Orlon yet? Was this the right thing to do?

Why did I rope Link into this? If it went badly, Link would feel partly responsible. Link was like that; he was so involved in events all around him that he took personal responsibility in them. I'd seen the wolf's eyes when he brought that injured imp to me. They were tunnels of failure. I saw Midna's memories when she slept; she had nightmares for days afterwards. Seeing the events that brought them to me, I could understand perfectly her reasons for being so cold to Link and I, and why she began to soften after that point. But the point itself was horrifying. I could feel her pain. There was nothing Link could have done; yet I could see through her eyes he hated himself for what he perceived was a failure to protect her.

I shook my head. I just couldn't leave the past where it was. I had to focus now. I began to channel the Triforce, but I realised what had happened last time. I'd used it so much to keep my head clear that my crushed fears and sadness at the events that had passed had just exploded. And now Link was gone. I could let out my feelings, but crying into Link's shoulder had let me feel so much better. I couldn't work out why. I barely knew him, but we were on such familiar terms that I could trust him with so much. He'd seen me go through my greatest fear; no-one, not even my parents, had ever seen me cry like that. My father and mother had always taught me never to show my fear. A ruler had to be strong for her people.

But was I walking into a situation from which I could draw no strength? I'd met Orlon once, and he had made an impression. He was smart, softly spoke and charming. I liked him greatly, but I knew he hadn't the strength of will I had. Without warning, I flashed back to that awful moment…

*

_No-one knew what it was. Some said it was darkness, consuming the land like a black fire. I knew it wasn't darkness, but that didn't mean I didn't secretly fear it. Inside, I was terrified, almost paralysed by fear. I couldn't move from that spot._

_As we feared, the darkness swept into the Throne Room like smoke. My men stood ready. They were the Hylian Eagles, the Elite of the Royal Guard. They had been trained in the highest arts for many years. They were the best._

_They had no chance against this._

_The beasts that burst forth from that smoke lunged for the men like animals. Hylian combat was honourable, a duel with swords and weapons. These creatures had no honour._

_All they wanted was to win._

_It was over in seconds. The magical beasts were far too strong. Moments after the invasion began, it was all over. All around me, I saw the bodies of my shattered Guard, some still alive, others dying, and some already dead._

'_The leader must never show fear or pain. They must be strong for their people.' My mother's words would not cease in my head. It didn't matter. I was past showing fear and pain. It was destroying me from the inside to just stand there helpless. I felt fear in such extremes that I couldn't show it anyway._

_From the depths of the smoke strode the leader. He was clad in elegant armour, like royalty. He was flanked by his own elite guards, two beasts of greater mass still than the beasts that had slaughtered my people. Rage shoved aside my fears, but I still could not move._

_He stopped before me, and his mocking voice echoed through his mask. "It is time to choose. Surrender or die."_

*

A part of me died that day when I allowed my sword to fall. It was the part I could depend on to see me through anything. My defiance, my independence.

My confidence.

But it was an impossible situation. If I refused, I would be struck down, though Hyrule would have stood no chance against those beasts, whether I was there or not. But Hyrule would never surrender. My father told every soldier that in person when they joined the ranks of the army. 'Death before dishonour,' he would say. It was dishonourable to surrender, to accept failure and carry on.

Those thoughts were right in the front of my mind when Zant gave me the choice. Right alongside them, fighting with my thoughts, were my mother's words:

'A princess's first duty is to her people above all else.'

It was such a conflict. If I refused, I would die honourably, but the kingdom would doubtless follow me. If I surrendered, the kingdom and I were at the mercy of these powerful intruders.

In the end, I realised the kingdom stood no chance against them. But if I did not oppose them, there was the chance that they would not choose to destroy the kingdom I had given everything to. It was dishonourable and reckless; who knew what they planned to do? But in an impossible situation, a slim chance of survival is better than none at all.

The clatter my sword made on the ground as it fell from my previously-determined grasp echoed around my head endlessly. It still did. That was my confidence in myself dying. My resolve leaving me.

My emotions catching up.

All too suddenly, I saw Orlon alongside me, facing Zant. He looked upon the Twili usurper in pure terror. And his sword fell the moment Zant finished. But then I saw Simon and Koronus beside me, and both rushed Zant, swords drawn. And the same thing happened to both of them.

Zant's elite guards leapt up and struck in mid-air. The dead bodies of Simon and Koronus slumped in front of them. Then they faced me and lunged…

And then I saw Hyrule burning, razed to the ground. Dead bodies all around, all traces of life gone in flames and terror.

I shook myself again. Such a situation was unwinnable anyway. I couldn't ask anyone to defy a man of such power. I couldn't judge them based on that. Orlon was a kind and just person, he just lacked fire. Perhaps I could change him, give him some drive behind his actions.

I turned away from the mirror. Link wouldn't fail me. He'd give the letter to Orlon, no matter what.

From that point on, it was up to me. In the sanctuary of my room, a tear fell from my eye.

I prayed this was the right thing to do.

(~^~)

King Dalné was definitely a good person. He knew his people, and they respected him, not as a ruler, but as that good person. The title was secondary. His servants did as he asked with a smile. I could tell he had plenty of authority when needed, but for such an calm, peaceful life, he had no need to call on it. He sincerely wanted to get to know me. It felt odd to have such a friendly conversation with the King, but the words began to flow, and before long, Queen Helen had grown bored of being left out and King Dalné had introduced her to me. She took particular interest in my life as a farm-hand, and I gave her honest, though abridged, answers; I didn't want to give too much away. I could understand why Midna was so secretive now; I didn't feel too comfortable revealing these aspects of my life to complete strangers, and I couldn't face telling them I was the Hero. Though nowhere near the same as a Princess, the weight the role carried was so similar I mentally forgave that mischievous imp on the spot.

We were interrupted by the entrance of another man. He wore plain clothes, not unlike the clothes worn by the farmers in Gurta, but they were spotlessly clean and neat. This had to be Orlon, so I lowered my head as he came in, preparing to kneel.

"Please, young man, don't kneel to me," he said kindly. I obeyed and looked him. He had short brown hair and watery blue eyes. His face was soft and gentle; he was used to the quiet, simple life and enjoyed it, like Hurmer. He was much younger than King Dalné, but he acted like he had never had to deal with responsibility. I hoped he realised what he was getting himself into, especially as he hadn't been the one to have the idea originally. "My name is Orlon," he finally said warmly. He extended his hand and I shook it.

"It is an honour to meet you. Princess Zelda has spoken very highly of you," I said.

"May I infer that you visit with news from the Princess?" He asked.

I nodded. "She sends her regards and this letter for you," I said, extending the letter to him. He took it slowly, as if unsure he should. I thought back to what Zelda had said. Goddesses, she'd turned him down, hadn't she…

Orlon looked over Zelda' s neat handwriting on the envelope and the unbroken seal, pausing on the crease for a moment. However, he finally broke the seal and withdrew the letter. As his eyes absorbed its contents, his face fell, became neutral, then fascination. Finally, as he neared the end, he broke into a smile. "Thank you," he said happily, looking at me with. "This is truly good news to read. Brother," he turned to look at King Dalné. "Princess Zelda of Hyrule has chosen to proceed with our relationship."

I very nearly corrected him that Zelda had told me of the wedding proposal when I realised that would not put me in good stead. I caught myself in time, but the King realised I had tried to say something, giving me a look that said, 'well, what?'

I drew a breath, froze and thought of something good to say. "Erm, that's fantastic news for both our lands," I tried. I looked slightly nervous. Orlon didn't pick up on it, but King Dalné gave me a look that said, 'Indeed…'

Orlon turned around and went back to wherever he had come from, clutching the letter to his chest. When the door closed, the King asked me politely, "You were going to say something else, weren't you?"

I bit my lip, but this was King I stood before. Lying wouldn't help me. "The Princess told me she wished to accept Orlon's proposal of marriage."

To my relief, the King smiled. "Yes, Orlon had proposed marriage to Princess Zelda, however, I convinced him not to rush into such a relationship. After all, we have a possible trading partner here!"

I hoped my surprise didn't show; this could work out unexpectedly well if King Dalné looked upon Hyrule as more a trading partner than the land his future sister-in-law ruled with his brother.

Queen Helen picked up on my words. "Young man, you must know the Princess very well if she trusted you with such secrets."

I blushed slightly. "Well your Majesty, we became very good friends earlier this year."

The Queen smiled. "Not altogether unexpected, given that she asked you to deliver the news. Do you have someone special waiting for you back home?" She asked out of interest.

At that, the flicker of beauty returned to my mind's eye. Her words began to echo around my head. I grimaced as I saw her blue skin, flowing red hair, burning red eyes…

"It's… it's… I'd really like not to talk about it, your Majesty," I said, a tear forming in my eye. I turned away and carefully mopped it up. When I turned back, King Dalné gave me an understanding look.

"Of course, Link. Don't worry," he said. "In the mean time, would you like to visit the library? I believe it is the least we can do for you bringing such news to Orlon."

"Yes please, your Majesty," I said, pushing thoughts of what might have been from my mind.

"Rikkar!" The King called. The guard reappeared at my side. "Link wishes to visit our library. Please ensure he gains access and gets whatever necessities he requires."

"Yes, your Majesty," Rikkar said with a small bow. I saw his face was happy; he truly did like serving his King.

"And Link," the King continued. I looked at him. "Please come to see me if you require anything at all. The Castle is open to all."

"Thank you, your Majesty," I said, bowing to him and turning to walk with Rikkar.

Answers awaited me.

* * *

**Etiquette around royalty has often eluded me, so if the King and Queen's attitudes don't make sense, that's why. I was trying to give Orlon a reason to be, for want of a better expression, soft. That's all he's ever known. More explained next chapter. *Begins pondering exactly that*  
R&R please!  
Happy new year!**


	14. Chapter 12: History

OK, I've gotten bored with boldening my ANs, sorta distracts from the chapter itself. Anyway, nice long chapter here. This was developed from a couple of short ideas from ConGie and Logan1047, Logan in particular because I'd let the subplots get out of hand. One will be more or less resolved in this chapter. Also, some background on Arylus here. Now, I've played the game again and am acutely aware that Link's Triforce remains on his left hand/paw even in wolf form, but I've said forehead so far, so I might as well stick with it - he's got some markings on his forehead that I mistook for the Triforce.  
Thanks to Moonlit, Ninja, ConGie, Logan and Crimson for your reviews! And welcome to new readers TwilightSonAmyLuver and Inverness!  
If you're enjoying my story, you might like Twilight's Silver Lining by my good friend ConGie; much as I would love to give the link, the editor keeps removing it, so search for it if you're interested - it's quite good!  
Read and Review please!  
Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 12  
History

When I left the library many hours later, I had a fair idea of what Arylus was and why they knew so much about Hyrulean legends.

The librarian was an elderly but kind man, and he knew exactly where to find the books buried in the endless shelves in the building. In minutes, I'd been given six heavy books and a table to myself to read them. It took me a while to get used to their writing style, but what I read explained so much.

Arylus itself was only a few centuries old.

It had been founded by Aryalus, leader of a group calling themselves the Arylites. They were old Hyruleans from the time of the horrific Civil War that had united Hyrule. And they had wisely avoided it.

According to the histories I'd read, particularly one of many books written by historian Lazlar, Aryalus was so sick of the fighting and death around him he chose to flee the land. He and a large group who felt the same discovered the path up to Snowpeak and the mountain pass. They had braved storms, packs of wolves and each other, but with few casualties, they had made it through the mountains and into this new land.

As for why they had so much more information, that was simple. Aryalus' group consisted not only of those with no desire to fight, but those who simply couldn't. The traders, women and children and, most of all, historians and scholars came here with him. They sought a peaceful land to work and live in, and they got it. They severed all ties with Hyrule centuries ago. So to me, it seemed odd that they would be so eager to re-establish relations with those who had wronged them.

In any case, one of the books was a rather extensive tome on the formation of the world. Another was a very detailed history of the Triforce and how it related to the Goddesses, which I read with great interest, but the other book was more immediate. It had another mention of World's Point; Zelda had given me Orlon's book, which I still needed to return to him, but I'd tried reading it and gained a headache quite quickly. The language seemed completely alien. However, this book was in our language. And as I read it, things began to match up.

In ancient times, the Goddesses had not only stood on the mountains, but had supposedly walked the earth itself, sometimes among the life they had created. They left power imprinted in the ground wherever they went; that power was eventually absorbed by living beings. Hyrule Castle was built on one of the sites of the greatest concentration of magic power. I smiled; Zelda's magic came from the Goddesses themselves, it seemed.

As I returned to the castle to give Orlon his book, I reflected on the chapter that told of the World's Point. It was completely ambiguous; it didn't actually tell me it was on the mountain, although Arrik Peak was mentioned in such a way it suggested the Point was there. However, the wording made reference to 'the meeting point of the three Golden Goddesses.' To me, this did suggest the mountain, as all three Goddesses had met there to gaze over their creation before returning to the heavens.

As I entered the castle, I found the Thrones empty. That struck me as odd, but then I heard voices coming from a room to the left of the Throne Room. Even more curious, the guards were gone. I knew the day was ending, but for them to be completely gone was odd. I moved cautiously up to the door and listened. I could make out two voices.

King Dalné was the first, and Orlon was the second. They spoke in hushed tones that no-one outside of the room should have heard. No-one without unnaturally heightened senses, that was. I became not only curious, but worried when I caught the tone of their conversation.

"…fully ours," King Dalné said angrily.

"You have no honour!" Orlon spat. "You want to use me?"

"Like how the Hyruleans used us? Subjected our ancestors to wars beyond imagination? Made us flee to here?"

"But how can you justify this? How many would you kill to satisfy a grudge centuries old?"

"Enough."

"No, this won't happen. I won't allow it. We have a life of peace here and Hyrule is no threat to us!"

"Exactly - we know it isn't at the moment and that's why it's a perfect time to strike, to end their dominance of the land! The Hylians think they're the perfect race and to Tessek with humans? That time will draw to a swift end."

"No! This is madness! You'll slaughter hundreds of innocents! And what of the Princess?"

"I'd see to her fate personally."

The fear I was feeling could not be suppressed even by the Triforce. I was utterly terrified. Could my ears be hearing right?

_They were planning to invade Hyrule! Strike it down while it was weak!_

I shivered at the thought. The whole thing was a ploy, orchestrated by the King with Orlon the unwilling accomplice. Even if he didn't go along with it, I could tell Arylus' army was better equipped and trained than Hyrule's at the moment. Zelda had told me one more disaster could finish the land. A chill swept through me when I realised just how right she was without realising it.

If Arylus invaded Hyrule… it was all over.

I had to do something to stop it.

Wait, the mountain pass. It was blocked. There was no way through it.

'But what if that's not the only pass?' I thought. 'There could be another way!'

There had to be a way to stop this happening.

"You heclic, Dalné," Orlon spat. I could feel the hatred in his voice.

"You would defy your King, nay, your own brother?"

"My brother died long ago. What I see before me isn't him. Dalné wouldn't be capable of this."

"Times change, and we must change with them. This land is barren. Hyrule is rich. The time is perfect to return our people to their former glory."

"I won't let you."

Wait a second. Orlon truly was standing up to Dalné.

"You won't let me? Ha, you are a fool. What can you do to oppose me?"

"I…" His voice quivered in fear. "I'll… fight you!"

And then I heard two sounds I knew to be so familiar. Two sounds that truly scared me as if I was the subject of them.

The first was the metallic ring of metal as it slid out of leather.

The second was the ripping of flesh as that metal tore its way through it.

A third sound rippled into my ears. It was a gasp of shock, leading into heavy breathing.

_Dalné had stabbed his own brother._

Another sound caught my ears as Dalné slid the knife out of his brother's flesh. I knew the sounds so well, I could picture the scene. It grew more intense when I heard the sound of a body falling to the ground. The heavy breathing continued.

"You are such a fool, Orlon. You have no spine to do what is needed. You fell in love with our enemy. As far as I care, that's treason. And this is a fitting end. I'm sure that with the guards readying for the attack, your body won't be found for several hours. Plenty of time for you to bleed to death."

A sickening gurgling sound came from Orlon. "You… you are no King. You are a cold-blooded murderer."

"I do what is needed," Dalné justified. "Peace and starvation, or a short battle and prosperity? I do this for our people. Well, my people. They won't be yours for much longer."

I didn't know what to do. It went against everything I'd thought in the last few days, but I prayed to the Goddesses for guidance. Somehow, they'd always known what was right. Zelda had a good reason to trust them. Maybe I should.

I don't know if they answered, but I heard footsteps starting from the voices and growing softer. Dalné was walking away.

I waited until the footsteps faded from my ears and poked my head around the corner.

The hallway was empty. But on the floor, I saw the small trickle of blood leading to an alcove.

I dashed silently over to the site of the attack.

Orlon was slumped against the stone wall, breathing heavily. Blood flowed from a deep wound in his abdomen, by the look of the red-ringed patch on his elegant white shirt. Now it was a crimson red.

He tried to look up at me, but I dropped to my knees and covered his mouth slightly to stop him speaking.

He reacted in surprise, but my hand muffled his cry.

"Shh," I whispered. "You don't deserve this. I see why they wanted to get to know me now. He wanted as much information on Hyrule as he could."

Orlon nodded weakly.

"Listen, I'm going to help you. Lift up your shirt."

Orlon did. I saw the gash on his stomach; the knife had been vicious. It was a wound left by a serrated dagger. No other knife could desecrate flesh like this. It was a cruel way to die, to bleed out of such a wound.

I placed the pack beside me and took out the second blanket. Using my knife, I cut strips from it and wrapped them around Orlon's abdomen. He groaned in pain as the strips touched his wound.

The blood started to flow into the cloth. This wouldn't help him for long. He needed help.

If I took him to a doctor in Turris, no doubt the King would find him and have him put to death. There was one more option.

I had to get him to Hyrule.

"Listen, you'll survive if I can get you away from here. I can get you to Hyrule but I need to be outside."

Orlon raised his hand weakly and pointed behind me. I saw a door, probably leading to a courtyard area. Perfect.

I wrapped my arms around the man and carefully picked him up. He was poorly built and not very heavy, but it was an incredible effort. He groaned louder as I took his weight. My muscles protested, but I silently reminded them this is why I had them. I had all those skills, all those abilities, all of it, to save people. Especially those who truly needed it. I was accepting my role as the saver of lives.

I carried Orlon slowly over to the door and pushed it open with my boot.

Trouble.

The courtyard was large, surrounded by the castle wall. At one end, a couple of hundred feet away was a guard. He was facing away, but would probably turn at any moment.

I had seconds to act. I placed Orlon on the ground and whipped the Shadow out of my pack. I didn't have time to change form; I had to pray I could send him on without me.

I placed the Shadow on my head and my hands on Orlon's limp body. I imagined Castle Town, the warp point across from the West Gate. Such a familiar place.

I felt the magic build in me, travelling down my arms. It was intense power; I was trying to warp him much further than I had ever gone. And I was trying to warp a human, too.

I forced the magic out of my and felt it surround his body. He felt it too and cried in surprise. At that, the guard turned to face us. "HEY YOU!"

Oh crap.

I kept my focus. He had to get to Hyrule and warn Zelda. He had to make it…

The magic was draining me. The Triforce burned on the back of my hand. There was an instant where I felt an unknown warmth around me, but it was gone just as quickly. Then I looked down to see Orlon disappear in a flicker of black specks.

I could only pray I'd done it right as the guard approached me, sword drawn. I was too weak to fight back effectively, but my hand went to my sword, determination burning within me.

(~^~)

"YOUR MAJESTY! COME QUICK!" Yelled Pellen from outside the Throne Room. I was off the Throne in an instant, running towards him at speed. He had never shouted to me before. This had to be life and death.

"What is it?" I shouted as I saw him running towards me. He spun around and raced back in the other direction.

"It's Orlon!" He cried as he ran.

We both bolted out of the Castle into the Town. Pellen led us to the doctor's house in the eastern corner, barely pausing to throw the door open.

On the doctor's bed, a man lay, the sheets covered in crimson blood. He was unconscious, but I could see it was him.

The doctor stood over him, tending to a wound on his stomach. I watched in horror as he exposed the torn flesh. He had been seriously attacked.

"Princess," said the Doctor as he looked up. He looked grave. "This man was stabbed by a serrated blade. It has caused serious injury to him. I don't know if he will pull through it. The best I can hope for is that the wound is not as deep as it appears."

I looked in horror at Orlon's unconscious face. It seemed impossible he was here. Wait, how did he get here?

"Pellen, how did he get here?"

"A group of children playing on the West drawbridge found him lying on the field. He was out when we got to him."

The doctor looked up. "That's not what I heard."

I turned to him. "What did you hear?"

The doctor looked back to him. "They told me he appeared from thin air in a swirl of black."

A chill swept through me. That could only mean one thing.

What was happening in Arylus?

(~^~)

CLANG.

Our swords met with a vicious ring of steel. My arm quivered under the force of the blow; the guard had tried to hit me with the flat of his blade, probably to knock me out. I noticed with slight pride that my sword had left a notch in his; the Blade of Courage was much stronger than his cheap army sword.

I looked at his eyes, screwed up in focus. He was forcing the blades closer to me, and I didn't have the strength to stop him…

Suddenly, my hand burned again.

I felt warmth flooding through me, like when I let the Triforce heal me, but much stronger now. I felt my strength come flooding back in seconds. I breathed deep; my tiredness was banished and my focus came back. My eyes twitched and I growled at the guard, pulling my arm slightly back before reversing the move with incredible power.

I shoved the sword back into his with such force that I threw him several feet back to crash on his back on the ground. His head hit the stone and he lay still, but he was breathing. The sound of steel on stone rippled through the air as his sword fell from his hand. I caught my breath and looked around, my strength back at full. No doubt more guards would be approaching. The sound of sword-fighting seemed to attract all within earshot. I dropped the Shadow back into the bag for safety.

Six guards spilled out of the passage between the castle wall and the rest of the castle. All had their weapons drawn – a wide assortment of different swords. I heaved myself to my feet, planning what I would do.

As a group, they rushed me. I took another deep breath, crouched low and sprung.

I didn't move from the spot; instead, I spun around it. I threw my sword out before me, the flat of its blade to the soldiers. It hit each one of them on the head, battering them until they fell to the ground, out cold. I would not kill them.

My fight was not with them.

My fight seemed to be with the next group to appear.

From the same gap came even more soldiers.

My lip curled when I saw King Dalné leading them. The group stopped a few feet from me. I counted ten, maybe fifteen soldiers, most with swords, but others with spears and one with a mace.

Dalné met eyes with me and yelled, "WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!"

My eyes flashed. "You don't know?" I said coldly. "You seriously question my actions? I heard it all, Dalné." If he knew what I was talking about, he didn't show it. This just made me angrier. "Hyrule was all you ever wanted, wasn't it? That's why you wanted to know everything you could about my life there, get an idea of how successful your attack would be. Well, I have news for you." I spat at his feet. "You threatened the last of my life. The last things I have are my land and my Princess. And I will fight to my death to defend them. I've saved Hyrule from worse than you before." For good measure, I pushed back the glove on my sword hand and showed him the glowing Triforce. "The Goddesses gave me the means to protect Hyrule from anything. Especially you." I spun my sword around my hand to further intimidate him. "You have one chance. Stand down. Confess what you've done. And leave Hyrule alone."

My will was set as steel. Hard as the blade. I would fight everyone I needed to if it would protect Hyrule. I could see Dalné quaking in fear for a moment. His men around him were looking at each other in confusion and questioning what I had said. Their first duty was to their King, but they had a sense of right and wrong. If what I said was true, their loyalties were on the line.

"You dare come here and question me, outsider? Your kind are the reason we fled Hyrule in ages passed!" The King spat at me. "You betray the trust we gave you and threaten me? For this, you will die!" He stepped back and the soldiers snapped into formation before me.

The Triforce burned on my hand, fuelling my body. I felt all my strength coming from the relic. It gave me all the energy I needed. Golden light pulsed through my veins as I focussed on the soldiers.

They all drew closer. There were sixteen in total. I had some moves I could use, but I hadn't practised them in at least a month, probably more. Perfect.

As the men approached, weapons drawn, I thought of the Hidden Skills the Hero's Shade had taught me. One in particular was good for this group.

I breathed slowly, remembering the technique. I felt the power flow from my Triforce into my sword. I crouched, timing the move, then leapt into the air.

The soldiers beneath me paused to wonder what I intended. I wasn't aiming for any of them, which would explain their confused looks. Just as well.

As I landed a couple of feet before them, I plunged the sword into the ground and released the golden energy. Just as I had intended, the energy blossomed out of the sword in an intense shockwave that expanded outwards, catching anything in the area and forcing it back. All sixteen soldiers were caught by the force and knocked to the ground. A few were knocked clean out by the force, a few writhed on the ground in confusion, and another couple looked up at me. I heaved the sword from the ground and spun it around my hands menacingly. They swiftly fell back to the ground, feigning unconsciousness.

I turned to face Dalné, his face one of fear. He'd underestimated me. As he turned to run, I knew I had to stop him. And there was one quite effective way.

As he fled, I leapt up again and raised my sword. I hurtled towards him. He heard me coming and turned to see me, sword poised, aimed straight for him. He turned and ran.

I wouldn't kill him. I vowed to myself that no-one would die here. It would only lead to more death and that's exactly what I wished to avoid. Instead, I had carefully planned this jump, and I brought my sword down in just the right spot.

Dalné jerked backwards as he ran, choked. He tried to run again but couldn't move. I had impaled the sword through the end of his long robe into the ground. He began fumbling at the complex fastener around his neck when I heard the guards rise behind me.

I just knew several swords were aimed inches from my head, and I was disarmed now. I turned to see I was correct. Dalné sneered from behind me, still struggling to release his robe.

"You are foolish, boy. You should have struck when you had the chance. Now you are mine, traitor."

I turned to face him, unfazed. "The true traitor is he who would stab his own kin to further his goals," I said coldly. It was a heinous crime in Hyrule to kill one's own brother, or even attempt it. Even Royalty weren't above it. Hopefully, they felt the same here. "Perhaps he still has the dagger he used?"

Dalné froze, his hands at his throat. I saw Rikkar step forward. Three members of the Guard went with him while the rest surrounded me. I couldn't run for it, but I could see with satisfaction the events that took place next.

Rikkar's previously-submissive face changed. He had raw determination on it, a strong dislike for the King if I was proven right. Without asking, he felt the King's robes, searching for a weapon. In moments, he pulled something from Dalné's pocket.

The dagger was short and elegant, its handle gold and inset with jewels. The blade had numerous teeth cut from both edges of its shiny steel. It was a vicious weapon.

It pleased me more when I saw the blade still had traces of Orlon's blood on it. 'Goddesses,' I thought. 'I hope he made it. I ended up in Snowpeak once!'

Rikkar's face turned to one of venom. "You are a traitor to your people, Dalné. All this time of insisting on peace and you yourself resort to killing your own brother? All this for a land we abandoned long ago?" He turned to the guards flanking him. "Arrest him!" He barked.

The guards ripped off Dalné's impaled robe and forced him into the castle. As Dalné was marched off to the dungeons, I heard him yell something about his heir and the barren wasteland he would inherit.

Rikkar turned to the guards and nodded. The lowered their weapons. "Young man, you have shown us that we placed our trust in the wrong ruler. We owe you a debt of gratitude." He reached for my sword and drew it from the ground. He admired it for a moment before handing it to me with a look that said, 'a beautiful blade.' "Now," he continued, "we must find Orlon. Perhaps he still has a chance-"

"He's not here," I said, cutting him off.

"Where is he?"

"If I got it right, in Hyrule," I said honestly.

"How??"

"I have my methods," I said. I didn't want to reveal my powers. "If I got it right, he should be under the care of Princess Zelda right now. And I'm pretty sure I did."

Rikkar shook his head. "There's more to you than meets the eye, isn't there…"

At that moment, we were interrupted by the sound of heavy footsteps. More soldiers approached us, led by a man in elegant armour who had to be the Captain. Rikkar snapped to attention before him, along with the other soldiers.

"Lieutenant, what is going on here?" The Captain demanded.

"King Dalné has been arrested, sir," Rikkar said.

The Captain's eyes seemed to flip over as his jaw dropped. "WHAT?!" He screeched.

"He attempted to kill Orlon, sir. This young man discovered his treachery. We found this in the King's robes." He held up the dagger.

The Captain was silent for long moments as he studied it. Evidently, the golden hilt would make it the King's personal weapon, one which no other person would handle. And with the blood on the blade, the Captain seemed to accept Rikkar's words.

"Goddesses…" He whispered. "But why?"

"He was going after Hyrule," I stepped in. It gave me a fighting tongue when I spoke of my home under threat. "He was going to invade it and reclaim it for Arylus!"

The Captain turned white, and I felt fear sweep through me. I could sense why he had gone so pale. No, please no…

"Th-then the advance guard is already on their way!" He stammered. "He told us Hyrule had declared war on us!"

Ice lined my insides. "WHAT??" I yelled.

"Forty men were sent on ahead to take strategic points in Hyrule!" The Captain continued, the true weight of what was happening dawning on him. "Oh Goddesses, WE'D be declaring war if they reach Hyrule!"

"What were their orders?" I demanded.

"To- to take anything of use along their path, kill anyone who resisted, and if the remaining army does not catch up, to march on to Hyrule Castle!"

It hit me, too, what was happening. Forty men were nothing to a fully-equipped army, but Hyrule was in pieces. The army was disorganised, its best men dead or too wounded, its structure weak. If the advance guard were as well-trained as I guessed, they could inflict serious damage on the land. The army was too concentrated in Hyrule to defend the outlying villages.

I had to stop them.

"How far ahead are they?"

"Th-they left Turris yesterday!" The Captain stammered.

"Oh Din, I have to stop them getting to Hyrule… wait, Arrik Pass is blocked!"

"What?"

"There was an avalanche when I came through – blocked off a mile or so of the pass!"

"Well, that would stall them as they would head to Arrik first, but there is a second pass through the mountains that all soldiers are aware of," Rikkar suggested. "It is further to the east than Arrik, and it is much easier to defend against people attacking from here."

I caught what he meant. I had to intercept them at Arrik Pass.

"Go, son! You know what you're doing!" Rikkar said. "Your horse is faster than ours!"

I nodded to him, and he led the way out of the castle at a run. It was a blur until we reached the gate, and the second guard stepped forward to stop me. Rikkar intercepted him while I grabbed Tharor. I looked back to seem him give in and they both opened the gate.

"Good luck!" Rikkar shouted as Tharor took off at full speed into the field.

*

I didn't want to take Tharor to her limit, but she could sense the urgency and poured everything she had into a full-speed canter back to Gurta. It was all a blur. Hours passed with me on her back as we thundered across the open plains. I realised dimly that Dalné had a point; Arylus was barren, it had very little natural vegetation and few animals. But the route to a better life was not through violence. Violence would only lead to more. I knew that better than anyone.

Even as the sun set that day, we roared across the field, passing no-one as darkness cloaked the plains. Tharor was incredible. For hours, she held that canter, going so fast the landscape was a blur. It was actually me who tired first, and I pulled her to a stop for a few hours in the early morning before we set off again, reaching the same speed in seconds. She was just a bundle of limitless energy.

She began to tire after running for nearly a day and a half, but then I realised we could see Gurta before us! It was little over half a day away, and with regular breaks after that point, we reached it as the Sun settled on the second day. I guess I'd broken a record.

When we walked into the village, Tharor drawing incredibly deep breaths and walking unsteadily, Hurmer shot out of his mismatched hut to greet me. He looked in horror at Tharor, but when I gave him a quick summary of the events that took place in Turris, he understood the urgency of the situation. He told me the soldiers had passed through that day, and that I was only a couple of hours behind them.

Rist came out of his hut to see what the fuss was about and saw me. He held the Clawshot in his hand and, as I slid off Tharor, started trying to bargain with me for it.

"Rist, listen," I snapped. He flinched. "Forty men armed to the teeth are heading to Hyrule. I've got one chance to head them off, and I need the Shot back now!"

Rist drew a panicked breath and gave me the Shot. I shoved it into my bag and said, "Thank you for everything. I'd love to say more, but I haven't got the time!" Rist and Hurmer nodded and with that I turned to run out of the village, their wishes of luck faint in my ears.

As soon as I was out of their sight, I reached for the crystal and morphed. As a wolf, my speed tripled, and I dashed the three miles between the village and the mountains in minutes. I could smell the horses again; these were different animals, bred to carry heavy loads. They weren't fast like the messenger's horses. These carried people to war as reliably as they could.

In minutes, I saw the army gathered at the mouth of the pass. It was a few miles from the snowdrift that filled the pass. They had taken a defensible position at the mouth against any man who thought of going up against them.

Fortunately, I was no man.

To the left of the mouth was a small outcrop with rocks beneath it. I scanned it and saw it connected to the ridge up above the pass. Perfect.

I moved out of the way of their light, my sharp wolf eyes picking up every detail in the light of the rising moon. They were grouped around a large fire, central to the pass, with sentries watching both the mouth and the passage into the mountains. Their horses stood idly, a herd of them grouped on the side leading to the snow. I formed a plan as I jumped up on the ridge. It wasn't foolproof but it would buy more than enough time to get to Hyrule.

I chose the best spot on the ridge and leapt down, directly behind the sleepy horses. In an instant they were wide awake, and the whites of their eyes showed in terror as I growled at them, adopting a pouncing stance and baring my sharp teeth. In another instant, they charged away from me, an unstoppable stampede back out into the field. They decimated the camp, knocking over the armour and weaponry the soldiers had brought with them.

The soldiers couldn't react in time. It had taken me three seconds to scare the horses into this. The best Hyrulean soldier wouldn't have his sword drawn from his waist in less than five, and most of these men didn't even have their swords within reach.

The horses knocked down five or six men who tried to calm them to no avail. All of them collapsed to the ground, out cold but still breathing. Thirty-four to go.

At the same time as the horses were running, I had leapt into the centre of the group, spinning about my landing point to knock the legs from under seven or eight of the men. The rest reacted in outright fear of a feral, vicious beast among them and scattered, scrambling for their weapons.

The sentries were the main threat now. Eight of them came for me, swords drawn and shields raised. I'd have little chance against them; my claws and teeth wouldn't fit in the gaps in their shields. Instead, I used them to my advantage. I leapt at the nearest guard, landing neatly on his shield for an instant before leaping off him with such force it knocked him back. I flew into one of the unarmed soldiers; he threw out his arms in a vain attempt to block me, but my weight knocked his arms aside and I head-butted him to the ground. In an instant I was up again, bouncing off the outstretched shield of another sentry to knock over another man. In moments, they had worked out my routine and I changed it. The next jump took me over the head of a sentry, but he was quick; his sword caught my left side and I felt burning pain in my abdomen and hip. It wasn't a deep cut, but it hurt like Tessek.

I rolled on the ground and turned instantly to face his back. I leapt and planted my claws in his back; he collapsed forward in pain. I wasn't killing them, just wounding them to stop their quest.

I felt another sword slice burn across my back, right through the patch of missing fur where the beta had ripped it from my neck. I was lucky the cut was so shallow; any deeper and it could have killed me. I backflipped off the fallen soldier and swatted the attacker in the face with my tail. In his confusion, he tripped over his fallen comrade to join him on the ground.

By now, plenty of the other soldiers had weapons and I was outnumbered. Two came at me at once; with precision, I jumped between them, my back paws outstretched to catch both their faces, leaving deep scratches.

Completely unexpected, a boot met with my side and sent me sprawling. Pain rippled through me from the gash on my left side as I landed, the blood matting my fur. I heaved myself to my feet to see ten or fifteen soldiers approaching me. I couldn't take them. I had to escape.

I looked behind me for a way up. There was one, but it was single-use. The rocks were too unstable to try a second time, so I had to get this right. I leapt.

As I lined myself up to land on the first rock, I felt something cold and heavy catch my head. I felt the rock appear and then crumble underneath me. Seeing stars, I looked up to see myself falling back to the ground, a thrown sword beside me.

I hit the ground hard, blistering pain consuming me. But I wouldn't give up. My Triforce burned on my forehead, sending the pain away for a few moments. I looked to see the rock was gone. The rest of the path was still there. As were the soldiers, who rushed me as one.

That did it. I leapt up again, this time straight into the advancing soldiers. I landed on the face of the nearest one, and as he reached up to bat me away, I launched myself onto the head of another, and from there I jumped to the second rock. It held for the instant I needed to jump up to the ridge. Safe.

Not safe.

A whizzing sound caught my attention and a wobbling noise sounded behind me. An arrow had come close to hitting me, missing by inches. I looked down to see more soldiers grabbing bows, nocking and loosing arrows at me.

Either side of the ridge was a no-go; it was too open. I had to get higher, out of range of their arrows. I looked up and saw a small path upwards, barely within range of my leaps. The jutting rocks were the same as below; one jump would remove them, so I had to be fast. I focussed, arrows whizzing around me as I ran up to the first jump. My battered body sailed upwards to the rock, and I caught it under my paws to jump again.

Arrows soared up to me, most missing but only just. Then one caught my tail. It stung with immense pain as I jumped, but I couldn't risk falling. My tail flailed from side to side as I realised it had upset me balance. I had only a few more jumps until I was out of range, but the pain from the arrow was blinding. I tried to compensate for the extra weight, but I knew I wouldn't last much longer.

As I reached the next jump, I saw a small cave open out ahead of me. It had no path up to it, but it would do for me to recover. I leapt into it just as another arrow slammed into my back paw. I blacked out before I hit the ground.

* * *

OK, I should be able to upload chapter 13 tomorrow, and I think you'll love it - the subplots are given a rest for the time being!  
Happy new year everyone! Goodbye awful year 2009, welcome in 2010! (We can finally stop saying 'two-thousand-and-!')  
Laters!


	15. Chapter 13: World's Point

Happy New Year all, welcome to 2010!  
OK, here it is, one of the chapters you've all be waiting for! This has been through many revisions and I hope it makes sense. This is where I start justifying the story's title 'Heroes of Time.'  
R&R please!  
Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 13  
World's Point

*

When I awoke to find myself in the cave entrance, I felt relief like never before. I had faced the worst the soldiers had to offer, and lived to continue my quest. As my mind came back, I realised I bore wounds from the battle and the climb that began to make themselves known. I felt the blood seep into my fur, binding it together unpleasantly, but I could do nothing except pant with exhaustion. A moment or so later, I lifted my head up and looked at myself. In the faint light from outside, I saw two arrows sticking out of my body, one in my tail and one in my left foot.

I rolled slowly, bringing my tail up to my snout. I gripped the arrow, and with such resolve against the blinding pain, pulled it from my tail, blood dripping onto the ground. I gasped at the pain and spat the arrow out in anger, turning to my paw. This was even worse; I nearly passed out again as the metal tip left my flesh, displacing plenty of it on its way out. Those damned soldiers. At least I'd taken at least half of them out, leaving them unable to fight and without horses, they were stuck. That would either force them back to Turris, or buy me enough time to return to Hyrule and warn Zelda. As the arrow left my body after those thoughts, I might have actually fallen unconscious, because when I finally looked around myself, the pain was much less.

Inside the cave was pure darkness. I heightened my senses to little gain; still very dark. I rolled my body, shifting the pack off my back. I opened it with my teeth and pushed my snout inside, searching for that elusive bundle. I had to get out of this body and into my other form.

My sensitive nose brushed cloth, and I pulled it to the front of the pack. I saw the black cloth fall slightly, just enough to expose the crystal underneath. I touched my nose to it.

Immediately, my body began to morph. I was so tired that I simply lay on the ground; I could not pull myself to my feet, as I would normally do. I realised that I carried over the injuries from my wolf form; how could I have forgotten we were the same? My foot ached with the wound, but my tail, fortunately, no longer hurt because I didn't have one. I could deal with my aching foot, though.

As my tunic returned, I felt cold. My fur was much thicker and warmer than this tunic, and I was so high up that the air was thin. So I just lay there, shivering on the ground, impeding my own healing for the sake of warmth.

When I could stand it no longer, I reached into my pack with a sore hand and pulled out the lantern. Now would not be the time to discover I was out of oil, so I quickly flipped up its glass, clicked the stones together, and…

Light and heat flooded out.

Finally, some good news.

I flipped down the glass and held my hands around it. The heat was not much, but it was enough to make a difference. I lay there a few moments more. Eventually, warmed enough, I rolled painfully into a seating position and took in my surroundings.

Behind me, the winds howled around Arrik Peak. Before me, the cave continued deep into the mountain. I wasn't that high up, maybe halfway. I'd leapt a great distance as a wolf. Thankfully this cave was here. I rested at the mouth for a while; the Triforce taking over the job of warming me as it got to work on my injuries. I smiled; even though such awful thoughts had crossed my mind recently, the Goddesses would still lend me their power. I leant back against the rock, feeling the cuts and bruises vanishing from my body. The gash on my side sealed itself, along with the cut on the back of my neck. Both would probably leave scars, I thought, as my foot began to heal.

The blessing of the Chosen Hero. How ironic that though I wanted nothing more to do with him, I would gladly take his power. But that was it; I was the Hero again. I'd saved Hyrule from an invasion. Who knew how many lives could have been affected. As the pain dulled, I found myself feeling no regret, but satisfaction. I'd done what I needed to do for Hyrule. Maybe tiredness stopped me thinking that I was more than the Hero.

I forced myself not to sleep, though I was so tired such an act would have been welcome. I knew I had to complete my quest before I did; I would be risking my life on this mountain if I slept. Who knew what kind of animals called it home? I had smelt numerous scents on my climb up, and some were certainly from predators. As the pain in my foot ceased, I lifted my aching body from the ground, testing for any other wounds. The Triforce had kept its deal; though my energy was drained, my cuts and gashes had healed enough that I could continue.

I was about to leave the cave when I realised something. I looked around me. I was right. This wasn't an animal's home. It was far too clean. The floor was clear of bones or plants; no scraps or smells of food were present. I suddenly realised I could smell nothing; no scent of fur, markings or blood. I remembered even as a wolf, there was no scent to this place. Odd. This cave seemed to be empty. And yet it was the perfect home for an animal. My curiosity was piqued. I picked up the lantern and walked slowly into the darkness.

The cave became a passage that meandered though the rock, taking strange, often tight, turns. It would narrow and widen, grow and shrink, almost as I stood there. I had no idea how long I had been walking; I just wanted to find out what, if anything, this cave was.

When it felt like I had walked up the mountainside again, I reached a wall of rock. No features, no fallen parts, just smooth rock.

This in itself was strange. This rock was far too smooth to be natural. It just seemed surreal that this huge cave was here, totally empty. It wasn't natural.

I drew my left hand up to my face to scratch my forehead, when I felt an oddly familiar heat on the back of it. I pulled off my glove.

Under the leather, the Triforce glowed faintly gold. What on…

I moved my hand around, and the warmth in my hand changed. To the edges of the wall, my hand grew cold, but as I drew it to the centre, I felt such warmth that I imagined a candle there. The Triforce glowed strongly. I looked past my hand at the rock face. Ever so faintly, the same symbol traced itself into the rock.

The Triforce sat there in the perfectly smooth rock.

This had to be it.

Right here.

What I had quested for.

I knew what I had to do.

I drew a breath, set my hand to the same level as the Triforce on the rock face, and extended my palm to the rock. As it made contact, I felt fire burn under my palm, and the wall turned to pure light.

*

For a time I could not see. Everything was white. I could not tell sky from ground, nor even if I was still in the cave. I had no idea of the time I spent in this spell. However, when the light dimmed away, I saw a sight even greater.

I floated above the land. There was nothing beneath me and the darkened landscape below. I was so high I could see the Adlor Mountains below as if they were mere boulders. Without the Triforce, I would have been paralysed by fear.

I looked above me; the clouds were darkening against the night sky, as though a storm would soon arrive, but no rain sprung forth. Most likely because of the darkness, I noticed the golden glimmer around me much easier.

Around me, three shapes of golden light formed. They moved about me to settle in a pattern on the same level as my invisible platform. As I watched, they each took the form of a golden triangle.

_They formed an immense Triforce in the sky!_

I stood motionless on the invisible centre triangle as the symbol of the Goddesses took form around me. When the three golden shapes stopped moving, each one burned with light; red, green and blue played out around me.

At that point I reacted. I knew of only one explanation for what was occurring. Without thinking of where I was, or the fall beneath my boots, I dropped, kneeling before the red light in front of me. I closed my eyes in respect, awe and fear.

"_Rise, Hero of Twilight,"_ an ethereal voice said to me. It was female. Slowly, ever so slowly, I lifted myself from my knee, keeping my eyes closed until my head was level. When I opened them, what I saw was incredible.

Before me stood a woman clad in fiery red and gold atop the golden triangle. Din, the Goddess of Power.

"_You have done well to reach us,"_ came a voice from behind me. I turned to my left to see a woman clothed in oceanic blue and gold. Nayru, the Goddess of Wisdom.

"_Though we all knew you would,"_ came the final voice. Further left stood a woman in the most natural green and gold. Farore, the Goddess of Courage. The one who chose me as Hero.

For some reason, perhaps because they spoke to me, I fell to my knee before them again. _I was among the Goddesses themselves!_

"_Arise Hero. There will be no more cowering before us,"_ Din spoke, seemingly for all. _"It is in fact you who honour us with your presence."_

There followed a moment of silence for that message to sink in, before I found my voice again. "Where are we?"

"_We are at the World's Point," _Din continued, _"the point where we, long ago, crossed from the Heavens to this realm and shaped the land below you. At this point, two worlds join and anything is possible."_

I was standing at a spot where, thousands of years ago, these very Goddesses had sprung forth to create Hyrule and the rest of the world. Never had I felt so honoured. At the same time, Din's last words about the joining of two worlds brought back painful memories of the Twilight.

"_And we are proud of your efforts there, Hero,"_ Farore's voice jerked me back. She knew my thoughts!

"_Farore!" _Nayru cautioned. _"His mind is his own. It is not our right to read his thoughts!"_

"If you know my thoughts, then you know why I am here," I recovered. It would save a great deal of explaining, and I had already expected the Goddesses to know everything I had ever thought.

"_Yes. You seek your purpose,"_ Din replied. _"Your purpose remains as it always was – you are the Hero chosen to rid the world of evil."_

I felt my heart sank. I knew this. "But I have fulfilled my purpose, I want to know what my purpose is now!"

"_You cannot escape your destiny, Hero. Whatever you are, or will ever be, so long as you bear our mark, you will always be our Hero."_

I felt something else now. That bubbling anger returned. "But that's not good enough! I don't want to be just the Hero!"

"_Your anger is misdirected, Hero…"_

"And stop calling me Hero!" I exploded, and immediately wished I hadn't. Yet I couldn't stop myself. "I'm more than that! I have a name! That name is Link!" Before I could act, those words escaped my lips. And now I feared what their impact would be.

To my hopefully hidden relief, none of the Goddesses reacted severely to my outburst. Din resumed, _"Your energy is admirable, Link. Your passion and purity of spirit are what led us to choose you. And yet we sense more to you now."_

It came as a wonderful relief when Din used my name. I had grown tired of being known solely by a label, a badge across my true identity. But I had to question what she had said. I flashed back to that book in the library in Turris about the legend of the Triforce. From what I read in it, she was not speaking truthfully. I'd thought long and hard about what I'd read. I had to say something.

"No, you didn't choose me. You laid out the events to ensure I would fall in line. It's happened before. The Hero of Time? Was he a warm-up for me? So you could isolate him and raise him in your ways? I look back on my past and all I see is pain, pain that shaped me into the person I am. I question your methods."

The shocked silence scared even me. Parts of me were screaming around my head, trying to be heard, and yet I was too scared to pick one voice, so the strongest took charge.

To my amazement, none of the Goddesses challenged me. Farore spoke up, _"Why do you fear your thoughts, Link? Have you not realised why you are the bearer of the Triforce of Courage? Because you have the drive to go up against those with more power than yourself. To question us is to prove that we were right."_

Nayru entered, _"We are all right. Including you, Link. We created the conditions you lived in, because we could not risk it any other way."_

Din took over, _"We created the world as a balance, light and dark, warmth and cold, good and evil. When that balance is upset, the only action we can take is to counter it."_

"Are you saying, I'm the counter to Ganondorf?"

"_Yes, Link. His power has grown steadily for many years, and we could predict when he would be a threat to our creations. We cannot destroy him, as it would be against our very principles. We are creators, never destroyers. So we created the perfect opposite to him, an embodiment of purest good. You, and your predecessor. You were both created with care to oppose and defeat him."_

Her words were hitting me like blows from swords. My entire life had been designed by them? I felt so hollow! "So, right from the moment of my birth, I was jumping through your hoops?" I said, nearing fury.

"_You followed the path we laid for you, the path to Courage. When you reached its crossroads, you had gained wisdom, independence, true concern for others before yourself and passion to do whatever you needed to in the name of good."_

"And what if I had strayed? Would I have been in control of my own destiny?"

Din's eyes flashed. _"You would not stand before us wearing that tunic; that much is certain. You would have been nothing more than a mere Hylian, never receiving our blessing, nor our gift. We knew no-one else to be suitable, save for a young boy in your village who showed traits like you, but he would not have been old enough to stop these events from becoming a tragedy. We have seen that before."_

Nayru continued, _"It was the only way. When the Hero of Time discovered his purpose he was a mere boy; we were forced to take great measures to allow him to wield the power we bestowed upon him. We had underestimated Ganondorf's power, and he rose too soon. We could not risk waiting for the boy of Ordon to come of age."_

Farore spoke, _"In addition, you yourself inspired him to be what he is. Though we foresaw a great likelihood of his development into a worthy Hero naturally, we could not risk anything less than a true Hero."_

I realised with horror that they spoke of Colin. "You mean, if you had never created me, Colin could be here now?"

Nayru answered, _"Colin could equally have been killed by Ganondorf or any of his minions, when he rose to power or any point along his path to becoming the Hero."_

I wanted to step back, but I remembered where I was. I closed my eyes, the picture of Colin as the Hero and Trecotta racing across Hyrule coming to my mind's eye again. But this time, I saw Ganondorf rise from the ground before them, only to strike Colin from his steed with his sword. The helpless, unprepared boy met eyes with the evil creature who drew his sword above him…

The image vanished.

"_Such thoughts will only trouble you further,"_ Farore told me. I looked up to see Nayru flash her a serious look. Farore looked unfazed.

"So then my purpose… is to prevent anyone else from getting hurt?"

Din resumed, _"Bearers of the Triforce embody the best we can provide. Your purpose was to banish evil. You exist because your chances were higher than any other being in all the lands. In your words, yes."_

I stood there in silence for several moments. "And what if I got hurt? What if I was killed, badly wounded, unable to fulfil my purpose?"

"_Then Hyrule would have fallen."_

"You were prepared to do that? Place the entire burden of the fate of the world - two worlds! – on my shoulders?"

"_We knew our methods were sound."_

"What became of the last one you applied your methods to?"

"_His story became quite complex after he fulfilled his duties to us. Our methods sent him through time, to an age where he was ready to battle evil. One of his incarnations continued this path further into time, fighting Ganondorf again. He still exists, outside of the realm of time you can perceive. Though through the efforts of the Ancient Sages, a second incarnation exists, sent back into his past to the point he left it. This incarnation is your predecessor."_

"And how did he cope with his life after his adventure?"

"Ask me yourself," said a new voice.

My eyes widened, my jaw fell, my entire body reacted with disbelief as I turned to see a fifth figure approaching us. He walked on the air itself; perfectly level with our airborne platform of light, he strode towards us. His clothes were the same shade of beautiful green as Farore wore, his hair a shining blond below his green cap, his eyes a staggering shade of sapphire.

He looked just like me. I could be looking in a mirror. _The Hero of Time._

For the third time, I sank to my knees. I could neither see nor hear his approach; I could feel it. I felt him stand before me, crouch to my sight level and heard him speak: "You and I are the same, Hero. We bow to no-one."

At his words, I rose to my feet again. The Hero of Time appeared to be just like me, though he was older, much older; he had long passed the prime of life where I found myself. Unlike me, he bore no weapons or shield across his back.

Around us, the three beautiful lights dimmed, leaving only the golden symbol. I felt a puzzled look spread across my face.

"The Goddesses feel we need time alone to talk, Link," The Hero told me. "They will return later."

"What do I call you?" I asked. He knew my name.

"I have gone by many names – the Hero of Time, The Golden Hero, yes, even Link." _We shared the same NAME?_ "I believe that, for the benefit of both of us, call me Kokau."

I looked at him, puzzled again.

"It means, 'he of the Kokiri,' my home all those years ago," he sighed heavily.

"Your adventure must have been incredible," I said, sounding stupid at the same time. I could not resist asking him. He was the legend himself, after all.

Kokau moved slowly over to the triangle vacated by Farore and sat, cross-legged, on the gold. I considered sitting, too, but did not feel comfortable sitting on air, so I chose Nayru's triangle.

"I went through things that would break any normal person," Kokau said heavily. "Imagine yourself, a young boy, never left your home village. A terrifying image haunts your dreams; it seems so real you try desperately to prevent the events it speaks of, yet you cannot, for you are just a boy.

"In my dreams, I would see the Princess kidnapped by evil embodied, and I was powerless to stop it. Then, as I tried to make sense of why, I was sent on a quest. At the completion, the dream came close to true; the Princess was forced to run for her life, and I would find no answers to my questions until I restored peace.

"I carried out the task she left for me, but I was a stupid child, reckless; by completing the task that might give me answers, I opened the door to allow evil free reign in Hyrule. The goddesses saw my potential, my guilt at what I had done and my desire to set right what I had done wrong, but I was still a boy. So they sealed my spirit, my essence, in time for seven years. Imagine it, Link – wandering into a temple, a mere boy, and moments later you leave a man, just like that. Seven years of your life, gone in a flash."

The legends had hinted at what Kokau was saying, but never in so much detail. I sat in awe at him, motioning for him to continue.

"My new quest, to right what I had wronged, took months. It was made harder by the fact that whilst my body had grown, I had not. I found myself out of my depth, having to learn as fast as possible the ways of the new world."

His words rang true with me; I remembered crossing into the Twilight for the first time, how everything changed just like that…

"To say that I was relieved when I completed my task would not cover it. I had travelled the land and time itself, marrying legends together and uniting an ancient power to defeat his evil. And when he was banished, that ancient power sent me back, back to my younger years, to relive them."

"But what did you find when you got back?" I asked.

He sighed heavily. "My past life was gone. Everything I knew, turned upside-down. I found I wasn't Kokiri. The Kokiri were an immortal race, their eternal life supported by their creator, the Great Deku Tree. But the evil that consumed Hyrule also consumed the Tree, and my efforts had not undone his actions. All too suddenly, all of them, everyone I knew, were mortals, just like me. They could no longer live as children; just like me, they had to grow up." He looked down at the triangle solemnly. "To have everything change in such a short time… I was so confused, so frightened that for months I could not begin to think what I could do; I was still the servant of the Goddesses, yet I felt abandoned, left to fend for myself." So, so true.

"And what did you do about it?" I said.

He raised his eyes to mine and looked into me. "I made it my duty to be happy. I had completed my quest, made things right; now my life was in my own hands. I did everything I wanted to do. I saw two possible options: seeking out the last remnants of evil and vanquishing them, possibly taking the rest of my life, or finding someone I wished to spend the rest of my life with, and making a life with her."

"So which-"

"I chose the latter," he said with a smile. "Life became too short to spend it going in circles, wasting years in battles, journeying to distant lands just to find a simple threat and destroy it. I had become insensitive to life; I found myself judging who was worthy of it, just as I had throughout my quest. I needed someone to bring me back to who I was. I found her, made her mine and made a life with her. I would always be the servant of the Goddesses; it was my reason to be. I could not change who I was, but I could choose who I could be. The past is the past, Link. Accept that you were created for a purpose. Now that you have fulfilled it, you really do have free reign over your life. Your ultimate purpose remains, but your life is your own. It is your reward."

At the word 'reward,' my ears perked. I had never had a selfish thought before, but that was before the Twilight, before her… Was I so wrong to want something in return for my incredible efforts? I spoke, "Nothing I have ever done was for myself. Throughout my life, I have devoted myself to others. That service was my purpose, but I have to wonder, is it wrong of me to have my own desires? My own needs?"

"You are Hylian, Link. No matter what, you have your rights to those desires. Just know when to give in to them, and when to serve others."

With that, the lights began to burn. I retreated to the centre of the Triforce as the Goddesses went about their entrances. Kokau stepped back from Farore's triangle, looked me in the eyes and began to walk away.

I felt it – a similar connection I had felt with Colin. I knew him from somewhere; he knew me. "Hey!" I called after him. "Will I ever see you again?"

"You have met me many times, Chosen Hero! No doubt you will hear my teachings again!" He shouted back as he walked. His voice grew fainter and he simply faded out of existence.

He was gone.

His words were still sinking in when I heard the voices of the Goddesses filled my ears again. Din spoke.

"_Well, Link, did you find your answers?"_

I was silent for a moment. "He said my life is my own, now." Those words seemed to contradict with what the Goddesses had told me.

"_Yes. He is right."_ I turned to face Din. _"Though your ultimate purpose is to serve as the Chosen Hero, your life is yours to make of what you will. It is our gift to you."_

I paused for a moment, considering it. "I think I know what I want my life to be, my new purpose…" I began.

"_You wish your purpose to be happiness,"_ Farore concluded. I nodded. _"Only you can find happiness."_

The anger returned, stronger now. "No! I found happiness months ago, but you took her away from me!"

That deafening silence filled the air again. Nayru broke it. _"Those events were a misjudgement on our part, Link. It was imperative that your role as the Hero continue until you passed it on. We could not risk you placing just one before so many. But you are right; we may have been… overzealous in guiding her actions. Your passion still remains, and your drive to help others is stronger than ever. For as long as your heart remains balanced and your spirit is pure, you will keep our gift."_

"But then…"

"_We were wrong, Link,"_ Din said. _"Don't expect us to admit it often, but we were. We were wrong to separate you. And so we will do our best to make it right."_

"But how?"

"_Though we cannot undo the past, we can reverse some decisions that were made in the present, with some help. You know deep down what you want, and how to obtain this. Let those thoughts guide you."_

"_And take this small gift with you," _Farore added.

I felt a power at my waist; I looked down to see the pack open. From out of it flew a familiar bundle of cloth. What were they doing?

"_This crystal is symbolic of your connection to the Twilight,"_ Din said. As the bundle floated before me, the cloth protecting it fell away to reveal the crystal; even the light of the Goddesses fell into it. The three Goddesses cast a beam of golden light at it for a moment, then ceased. _"Take it," _Din told me.

I obeyed, reached out my hand and closed it around the cursed crystal, waiting for the familiar sensation of morphing.

Nothing happened. Then I felt a warmth shoot up my arm.

"_The power of the wolf is now yours." _Din gestured, and a simple golden chain threaded itself out of the crystal 's tips, forming a short necklace. _"For as long as you carry this crystal, you control your form."_

Seriously?

I opened my hand to look at the pendant, in all its dark magnificence, before gripping the chain and fastening it around my neck. The crystal rested just below my throat, just at the point of where I could cover it with my tunic. I had to try this. I thought, _'wolf!'_

Instantly, that feeling of morphing took over me. I went with it, falling to the platform as my tunic vanished, and fur covered my body, a wolf before the Goddesses. The pendant was still around my neck, nestled deep within my fur. I had transformed myself by thought alone. I thought, _'Hylian!' _and in seconds I stood as I was. The Goddesses smiled.

"_This power will free you. Use it wisely,"_ Farore said.

"What must I do?" I asked seriously.

"_To undo what was done in error, you must unite light and shadow at the place where right went wrong," _Nayru said cryptically. _"Let your instincts guide you. As long as your heart is pure, you will not fail."_

"_Find happiness, Link. This is your purpose now,"_ Din concluded, and with that, all three Goddesses burned with their lights and vanished. The giant floating Triforce melted away, leaving me alone in the air. And then, a bright light burned before me, and everything went white.

* * *

Whatever you do, don't miss the next chapter - you're going to love it. I'll just say it's THE chapter you've all been waiting for!  
Review please!  
Peace out!


	16. Chapter 14: Purpose

Here it is. I've got a feeling you're going to like this chapter! It's a lot shorter than I thought it would be, but the story speaks for itself, I think. One of my favourites that I've written.  
I'm working my way through ConGie's Twilight's Silver Lining and finding some very interesting plot twists, so if you're enjoying Heroes of Time, consider looking up TSL!  
Many thanks for the masses of reviews I've got for the last chapter from Scrambled Eggz, ConGie, Rael Orion, ShadowFires51, Rebelgoddesses13, Logan1047, PrinceDarkLink, Varanus and NinjaSheik! Most reviews I've ever got for one chapter, so let's try and break that record, eh? Remember, I read all reviews!  
In the mean time, enjoy this chapter!

* * *

Chapter 14  
Purpose

When the light faded and the world came back, I found myself in darkness. I felt cold stone beneath me, and a sense of a confined space surrounded me.

I was back in the cave, in the pitch-blackness. I drew my lantern from my belt and tapped it. Empty. I knelt, placing the pack on the ground and searching within it for the jars. I had to be careful not to touch the crystal; it was like avoiding a razor in the darkness. All I wanted was light, not to be morphing back and worth a few times before I found what I needed.

My hand touched the cloth surrounding the crystal. Too close for comfort, but given how my pack would remain the same no matter what I threw at it, or threw it at, it told me where to look. In moments, I found the jars, all held together by a thin piece of string. I pulled the collection out, finding the filled ones and lifting their lids to smell the contents. I found the oil and tipped it into the lantern. As the oil flowed up the wick, I closed it up and clicked its flints.

The light burst forth from it, and I could see again.

I was right where I thought I would be – before the wall. I felt refreshed, and I could not tell how much time had passed.

_Had I really met with the Goddesses, or had my sleep-deprived mind created it to distract me as it forced me to rest?_

I had to admit to myself, it was possible. However, there was an easy way to check. I raised my hand to my throat. And smiled.

There it was. The crystal, hanging from its new chain.

It had all been real.

Which meant…

Which meant I had found purpose. I thought through my memories of what I had been through. Nayru's puzzle, Kokau's words, the Goddesses' blessings…

I knew what I had to do, and I would do it immediately.

Leaving the cave was a blur. I remembered knowing nothing was waiting to surprise me; follow its twists and turns to the exit. I only cared about reaching the outside. The thrill of the quest began to sink in again. But it was different now.

It was stronger than ever.

This quest was mine and mine alone. I'd saved everyone else enough times that this was for me. This was my purpose – to make my own life, to do things that would make me happy. And now, I would find that one thing that would make me happy for the rest of my life. If they meant what I believed they meant…

As my eyes caught sight of the rising light of early morning outside, I'd made up my mind. I trusted the Goddesses again, and threw my extinguished lantern into my pack. I leapt into the air, one word at the front of my mind, landing lightly on my paws at the edge of the cave, looking down the mountain. Wow. The power of the wolf from my mind alone.

I couldn't see all the way down in the dim light, but I couldn't hear the soldiers; maybe they'd given up? I couldn't see the flames of a fire. I reached for the Shadow's vision, and it granted me Hawkeye-like magnification. My eyes reached out of my head, staring further down the mountain, and I eventually made out what I had hoped to see.

The camp was still there, completely devastated. The fire had burnt out, and I could make out faint tracks leading not into the mountain, but out into the field. Better, I followed them, and they appeared to be heading across the plains, to the north. I'd done it. Driven them back.

I'd protected Hyrule again.

Now I had the chance to do what I had to do.

The cold wind blew around me, but my fur blocked most of it out. To be a wolf was to have adapted to nature. Warmth, speed and sensitivity to everything around me were my gifts. Just as I thought, I might have been happy to live my life as this incredible blue-eyed beast, but there was more now. There was greater happiness than this, and this could still be a part.

The cool morning air beckoned to me, called out and begged me to run with it, to gallop down the mountain. It took effort but I said no. That blissful freedom would wait until my quest was complete. Now, I had to get back home, and with the pass blocked, there was only one practical way.

With my mind and Triforce, I reached into my pack. I felt the Shadow respond to me, the magic seeping from the pack. Its power had grown; it seemed to know I was ready to handle it, waiting for orders to use it.

I already had an idea of what Nayru meant – I already had Shadow, but Light was as of yet somewhere safe. I would need to go retrieve it.

I pictured North Faron Woods, its picturesque green beauty calling to me. I imagined myself being there, just under the portal where I'd found the bridge months ago. Now that was a strange place to find such an object!

I snorted a laugh at the thought, but quickly focussed. I felt the magic build; this would take a lot of power, even more than sending Orlon to Hyrule.

The Shadow began to charge up its energy within the pack. I kept my thoughts set as the magic swirled around me, criss-crossing my body and moving with greater and greater speed. It took several moments, and I began to worry if I was asking too much, but finally it caught and I felt my body break apart.

*

When the world finally returned, I felt drained. As my body assembled itself on the ground, I collapsed to my paws and panted. It had taken a lot out of me, stretched my own magic, which then made me feel tired.

I lay panting on the ground amongst the green for some moments. I had made it, but I would not be making long journeys like this very often!

When I finally felt able to stand, I picked myself up and checked where I was. North Faron Woods. I was back in Hyrule! It was brighter here than in Arylus, too. Perfect.

I didn't bother changing back. This would go a whole lot faster in this form. I launched into a run and raced up to the Temple path. I stopped, looking down into the misty void beneath it. I had no idea how deep it was, and I had no desire to find out. Instead, I looked up to the left of the path and traced the route I would take. I'd only done this once, when I'd been trapped in this form. And then, I had my little companion to show me where to fall. When I returned the object I sought, I'd borrowed that bird again, unable to face turning lupine. But now I had my answers, and I'd trusted myself before, back in the stables, so I trusted myself again. I leapt for the first ledge, and landed awkwardly on it; it was harder with the wintry dew all around, which made the ledge slightly slippery. I recovered and jumped again, and nearly skidded off the next ledge. Panting in fear, I went for a gentler approach for the next jump, and made it without slipping. Next came the spinning platforms. I leapt onto the first and ended up tapping my foot on the ground as I waited for the wind to pick up. Eventually, after much tedious waiting and crossing the rope with the eternally-swing tree trunk, I made it into the Grove.

The entrance was as I remembered. Skull Kid was dancing around the high platforms within the grove, beyond where I could see, playing his raspy horn to the tuneful music that seemed to play throughout the grove. I could not understand it; the music came from everywhere and nowhere at once. There was no hidden orchestra, nor did Skull Kid play it all himself.

_It was as if the music was playing in my mind._

With the amount of magic around this place, I found it far from impossible.

Skull Kid was far too engrossed in his music to bother me, and I'd probably gained some respect, having beaten him three times by now. The last time, I'd gotten so annoyed with his minions that when I caught up to him, I'd left him hanging upside-down completely dazed in one of the high trees. I grinned at the memory as I broke into a run.

I raced unchallenged through the grove, taking the occasional wrong turn until I found it. I should really have known the layout by now; I'd been here three times before.

The Ruins of the ancient Temple of Time.

So the legends said, the last time anyone had visited the Temple was only a few hundred years ago. I could not understand how it had become ruined in such a short time. Then again, the Legends suggested that Kokau had been that one; perhaps his encounters with Ganondof across time had ravaged the place.

I returned to two legs and stood at the ledge down into the Temple ruins. I went to the edge and slowly clambered down; it was far from safe to hurry around here.

As I landed on the forest floor, I began to organise my thoughts. The Master Sword had chosen me, yes, but it still required a balanced mind, so the legends said, before it would allow even its chosen wielder to handle it.

_I'm doing this to set things right, to make everyone happy._

I approached the gates, flanked by the guardian statues. I smiled; they had been quite fun to work into place. A nice, safe challenge. As I went through, I saw the pedestal. Sitting in it was the Blade of Evil's Bane.

The Master Sword.

I had felt honoured to wield that incredible blade. I felt unbeatable with it in my hand; it helped me fight, and it fought to win. It was the most powerful sword in the land, and hopefully, unless it had worn off, equally gifted with light.

I approached the pedestal and wrapped my left hand around the hilt. My Triforce pulsed as it sensed the sword.

_I'm doing this to make things right!_

With that, the sword submitted. It released itself from its ancient home and rose with my hand into the air, its magical edges emitting an otherworldly ring as the sharp steel brushed against the stone. A sound I heard so much when I drew the weapon, a sound that in itself inspired fear in all who would challenge me. I held it aloft, the blade that sang out for my enemy's blood. The unbeatable weapon.

"Thank you," I whispered to the sword.

I drew my Blade of Courage and placed it in the pack. The Master Sword demanded such respect that to use it as a tool would be insulting. If I came up against an enemy, they would taste the steel of the Master Sword as it and I worked together once more. I spun the Master Sword around my hand, feeling its power working with my swordplay. I spun it around me at great speed, using moves that would cost an inexperienced man at least two fingers, if not a whole arm. As I watched the sword fly around my body, I saw the light it carried; it was getting less visible as the day began, but the light it had gathered months ago was still there. Perfect.

I spun the sword one last time, straight into the empty scabbard across my back. I was set. I morphed myself into my wolf form and concentrated on the source of all the hurt, the point at which my pain had begun. The place where right went wrong.

The Mirror Chamber.

And then I was there, warped in moments and barely realising it. I was getting better at this than Midna!

Midna…

With the help of the Goddesses, maybe now I would see her again. If I did, there would be no holding back. I would tell her how I felt, and pray that she did not run away.

Next came Nayru's riddle. "Unite light and shadow…" I was only guessing at how I would do that. The 'shadow' was, of course, the helmet, that much was obvious. My best guess for light was the Master Sword; if I had a Sol or two, they would probably have substituted.

All these memories were surfacing, and yet sadness was not overcoming me. If anything, they were driving me. They were calling to me from beyond this portal. They simply grew louder. And the fire in my mind burned brighter as I put the plan in motion.

I looked around at the empty chamber. The black rock was completely inert across from the pedestal. The Mirror was still shattered, its frame empty. I walked onto the pedestal, facing the Mirror. This was it. The point where, months ago, everything I held dear to me had been broken, torn away from me. This was where my life had shattered. But the Goddesses told me I could make it right, and knowing what I knew now, I trusted them.

'Please be right,' I prayed in my head as I took the Shadow from my pack and placed it on the ground. I pulled off my gloves and drew the Master Sword. My Triforce pulsed; light and shadow were so close together…

What would happen if I were to unite them?

I spun the sword around my hands, judging my guesses, then selecting the best and acting. I drew the sword up high, spun the blade to face the ground and drove the blade through the hole in the helmet, deep into the stone below. It amazed me that there was no material the sword could not cut into; it was truly powerful. And now, I would try to harness that power.

Already I could feel the magic in the air. It played over the sword, light and darkness swirling around the two objects and back through my hands. I concentrated on the Twilight Realm. I didn't make any demands; I just imagined it and felt for an answer. I let the Goddesses direct my energy through the artefacts.

The energies in the chamber increased by the second. Light and darkness swam through my mind, rushing past me with pictures of the realm – the palace, the Sols, the sky…

And her.

That was it.

Midna's indescribably beautiful face lodged in my mind's eye. It could not be budged by either power circling me. Instead, I felt the powers merge. Light and Shadow were becoming one. My Triforce burned gold on my hands as my fingers gripped the hilt of the sword so hard I felt pain.

The new magic rushed around me like an invisible sandstorm. It whirled and thrashed, its power growing to incredible levels. I had never felt such energy in all my life, even around that evil sorcerer. This was power beyond what he had, and it seemed to obey my commands.

I felt a suggestion appear in my mind, drew a breath and forced all of my power out into the sword in one go, trusting in it.

The invisible magic drew itself tightly around me, reaching unimaginable levels, then exploded outwards to fill the chamber with power. It was light and shadow but not Twilight; it was a unique magic, twinkling around me like starlight. Twilight was its extension; this was the source of the Twilight itself. Magic stronger than light or shadow, and it was connected to them both. Almost divine.

All around me, the power became almost still, but it sat thick in the air. I had no more power to give, so I prayed I had done right. Then it happened.

I was drawing a deep breath when I saw it to my left. Something in the sand began to move. Then another thing, and another…

All around me, the sand began to shimmer and sparkle. Objects of different sizes scattered the sand and rose.

_The Mirror fragments…_

From the largest chunks to the smallest chips, they rose into the air. This was the intention of the Goddesses, the way to my new purpose! I trusted my power and kept my thoughts on my goal. As I watched, they spun through the air, becoming as a sandstorm around me, a mass of glittering silver and black. The pieces collided and stuck as they whirled around me, forming larger and larger pieces. I felt my power returning and I used it, guiding the pieces. I could feel them from this distance as they grew larger, felt their sharp edges and frictionless faces. In seconds the swirling pieces had formed four quarters of the whole. They slowed in their circling of me and came to hover in front of me, all four pieces spinning slowly before my face.

I finally needed to release my breath, and I looked at the mirror shards. I let my breath go, blowing gently on the pieces.

Almost as if I was pushing them, the four pieces floated gracefully back to the stand where they belonged. They were still shards hovering in the air. So close...

I imagined her face one last time, saw her grin, heard her laugh…

_This is for you, Midna!_

I felt another shot of magic return to me. My Triforce burned my hand; my palms were raw from grip and my body ached with exhaustion, but I forced it out again. I felt the pieces as though I had four hands. With this last shot of energy, I pressed all four hands, and all four pieces, together.

They snapped into each other without resistance and fell as one onto the stand.

I stood there dumbstruck for several seconds. I panted from the effort, clinging to the sword for support.

_The Mirror was whole again._

That was it. I had done it.

The spell around me released. The new magic I had wielded broke apart in the air and vanished, retreating back into the sword and Shadow. As my mind felt only normality in the Chamber, I released my hands from the sword. I had held it so hard I bore a few tiny cuts. They did not heal, and would not for a while, as I had again exhausted the Triforce, my hand now cold and numb from the effort. Instead, I pulled the Master Sword from the ground with some difficulty and looked up.

I knew I had seen something. Something ghostly white. Several ghostly white somethings.

The Sages.

They gathered before me. Their leader looked me in the eyes and spoke softly, _"Hero of Light and Twilight, what you have just demonstrated leaves even us in awe. You are more worthy of the title than you allow yourself. Only one who could truly master light and shadow could reform the Mirror. Your power is greater than even the Twilight Princess."_

I nodded slowly at the Sage in respect. "I did what I had to do," I said in barely a whisper; I was so tired. It had drained me of both magic and most of my will, but I was not finished. "Will it work?"

The Sage spoke again, _"Its form was shattered, but its power is incapable of leaving. By reuniting the pieces, you have restored it. It will work."_

"What do I do?"

"_Place your hand upon its centre. If you have done all that needs to be done, that will be all."_

The Sages withdrew to the top of the Chamber to watch. I placed the sword back into its scabbard and returned the Shadow to my pack. I walked awkwardly up to the Mirror, my body burning with exhaustion.

I saw myself reflected in its impossibly shiny surface. Now would come the moment of truth. I raised my left hand, feeling the slightest tingle of power left in the drained Triforce, and placed it to the surface.

The Triforce instantly glowed gold.

Shapes and forms swirled around the surface of the Mirror.

An impossibly white light began to shine from it.

I turned to face the rock. The Mirror's light glowed on its black surface. The shapes and symbols of the Mirror rose into the air and merged into the blackness. The markings began to rotate.

The portal began to activate.

The symbols drilled themselves into the rock, and I saw the portal to the Twilight realm extend before me. And I became aware of the Triforce; it still glowed warmly. It seemed that activating the Mirror had actually recharged it. Perhaps with all the magic in the air, it was able to use the Mirror to boost itself. The cuts on my hands healed, and I began to feel my strength return. I would be able to arrive in less of a mess than I was, I thought with a smile.

I strode up to the activation stone in the floor.

The ghostly staircase faded into view.

"Midna, I'm coming!" I whispered, the anticipation filling me to breaking point.

And then something interesting happened.

I heard a collective gasp from the Sages.

Without looking, I guessed they would be gasping at the reactivation of the portal. However, it was too late for that, and the gasp was not one of awe, but surprise. I looked up at the portal.

There was something interesting about it indeed.

Flecks of white swirled in its depths.

I knew what that was. Something was coming through!

I wasn't expecting something else to come through to here first, especially given the Twili's attitude to the Hylians. But then, one of them might have been waiting for this moment. Could it be…?

I stepped back from the staircase to give the new arrival some space. As I watched, the pieces began to form. But there was something strange; there were too few particles. They cut off long before I guessed they would. They took form in the air. Something small, and squat. A Twili messenger? No, too small. Perhaps an object; could they be sent through without an escort? I couldn't work out its shape.

I watched the form as it floated down toward me. It came slowly, like a body sinking in water. It seemed to slip, like it was not in full control. It was alive – a being from the Twilight Realm!

I reached out to catch it. And as it landed in my arms, I realised with pure shock what it was.

It was black and grey.

Its body was covered in very thin, fine fur.

There were green markings all around it.

It had four limbs and a head.

It had a mane of flaming orange hair.

_No!_

As she looked up at me with her unfocussed red eyes, just before they closed, Midna whispered so weakly and slowly to me, "I… f-f-found… y-you…"

* * *

Dun-dun-duuuuun! What happened to her? Is he dreaming? Is it really her?  
Until next time!  
*Starts ticking clock*


	17. Part 3 Interlude: Reunion

Okay, before you shoot me, I know this is incredibly short, but that's all an interlude was meant to be! The Part 2 Interlude was much, much longer than I intended. This is roughly what I intended my interludes to look like! This marks the end of Part 2: The Journey. What begins now is Part 3: Two Sides of the Same Coin. I'm expecting either seven chapters or more before part 4 (unnamed as of yet).  
Sorry for the epic cliffhanger last chapter, but there are many things I don't want to give away just yet! This should clear things up.  
Now, got a little proposal for you all. I have written chapters 15, 16 and 17 (weeks ago, actually, hence the quick updates!) and I know you're all itching to find out where this is going. Likewise, I'm anxious to get my work out to the world. So, here's the deal: my standard upload time is every day at roughly 10PM GMT (this is early cos I'm on a break at work and am never without my laptop!). For every unique, proper review (positive/negative criticism), I'll bring the upload time forwards by half an hour! How does that sound? So by reviewing, you not only help me become a better writer, but you help yourself and others see the next chapters faster! Rules: one review per customer, no 'pleeeeeease update!' posts (won't be counted), just for these three chapters as chapter 18's very much in progress, upload times are approximate and dependant on many other factors computer-wise, so sorry if I don't make it - I'll try my best! :)  
What do you think?  
Enjoy this little bridge into the next part!

* * *

Part 3 Interlude  
Reunion

*

For what felt like a year I stood in disbelief. Was I dreaming? Was what I had seen even possible?

For the sake of the creature in my arms I shoved the thoughts aside. Only a second had passed.

In my arms was Midna.

It could only be her.

In her tiny imp form.

Was she still alive? I looked over her frantically. Yes, she still drew breath, and regularly. She was unconscious and seriously injured, but her life was not in danger for the present.

This bought me a few seconds of clear thought. She would not be in this form unless she had no other choice. Her Twili runes were strewn with small cuts and wounds, dripping crimson blood onto my tunic. She had been attacked, and very recently, likely only moments ago. Which meant that whatever attacked her could be right behind her. I was right; as I looked back to the portal I saw with fear more white specks swirling in its depths. I had seconds to act.

I thought fast. I knew she needed help, but at the same time I could not leave the portal open if there was danger on the other side. I didn't know if I had time to try and break it, either. Then I realised – it was a Mirror! It would only reflect what it gazed upon!

Holding the hurt imp carefully in my arms, I ran to the Mirror and calculated my move. This done, I raised my boot and kicked in the place I thought right.

The kick caught the underside of the Mirror itself. I prayed the stand was real and not just for display. Thank the Goddesses it was.

The ancient artefact swung about its mountings and rested to point away from the stone, now reflecting the sky.

In the same moment, as the light of the Mirror turned away, the white markings around the stone faded back to blackness and the portal vanished from view. I hoped I had not killed innocent creatures with my actions, but I could not risk them reaching Hyrule. Not until I had some answers.

Safe for the moment, I looked at Midna, limp in my arms.

Her eyes were both closed, but her tiny chest rose and fell about half as slowly as mine did. She was alive, but barely; she needed help. And I knew of only one place to get the best help possible.

I carefully thought through my moves and acted. I crouched and leant forwards, bringing my arms over my head and onto my back, stretching their limits. At the same time, I thought the key word.

It went perfectly. I morphed just in time for the injured imp to take up her place among my fur, nestled within the straps of my pack. Her head rested on the pack itself. As I fell to my paws, I was already warping us away from the Chamber. I could feel the surprise and worry of the Sages as we vanished in a storm of black particles. They could add my fear to their own.

* * *

Okay, not much to read through, so R&R please, and who knows how fast you might see a conclusion to this little story arc? :)  
Cheers!  
Gargravarr


	18. Chapter 15: Recovery

Aww man, I was expecting more reviews, but okay, I concede, I didn't give you guys much to review :) Still, thanks a bundle to Varanus, ZeldaMoogle, CrimsonDarkness and ConGie for taking the time to review! As a result, this chapter's up two whole hours early! Not bad, eh? Remember, until chapter 17 comes up, each proper review I get of the chapter will bring my upload time forwards by half an hour! See the A/N in the last chapter for more details.  
As for this chapter, yeah, it's a bit short, but I did a LOT of rearranging of chapters 15-17. They were all about equal, but didn't flow right, so I changed things around and had to sacrifice some content here to make it work better. I hope it's worked!  
Well anyway, here's the next part! Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 15  
Recovery

"She is like no creature I have ever seen before," the great shaman told me.

"She comes from a different realm, one like ours, but… different…" I told him awkwardly.

Renado looked over her wounds. "To be truthful, Link, I don't feel comfortable treating a creature I know nothing about. Can she not be treated in her own world?"

"I don't think so; she ended up like this at the portal between worlds. I think something bad is waiting for her on the other side."

Renado put on a pained expression. "I will dress her wounds but I will not touch them otherwise. We must trust she can heal them naturally. If she cannot, then know this: she may risk further injury if she returns, but further injury, or worse, is certain here."

"I understand," I said heavily. I looked at her.

She lay on soft blankets on Renado's table, perfectly still bar the slow movement of her chest. It dredged up painful memories of months ago, when I had been forced to find help for her. Her skin had been bleached by a weapon not intended for her, light in its purest form, and by all rights it should have killed her. But somehow she survived. And somehow, we ended up in a place to get help. In my wild form, as she lay across my back, struggling for breath, I had poured all of my energy, every fibre of my existence, into getting that help as fast as possible. It was as if I could _feel_ her life force slipping away…

She was here now because of me. I had saved her again, I hoped. Only time would tell now.

*

I watched her for several hours, not once taking my eyes off her. Renado provided me with a blanket to keep her warm, and I kept my lantern burning for extra warmth as the night drew in. Her breath was shallow and slow, but it did not cease. Her life force was there, however weak.

She was an extremely magical creature, I thought. Maybe in this form, her healing powers are dulled, too.

I didn't know the extent of her healing powers; she had only been injured seriously once in our journey and the fact that she had survived was enough.

I lifted the blanket and exposed her right arm. A wrap of cloth covered her tiny forearm. I undid the string holding the dressing there and gently pulled it back.

The wound was still there, and was still leaking blood. The gash was deep; it ran into the muscle. I'd seen Renado dress several other wounds just like this. Maybe her body was just too damaged for her magic to heal her; maybe it was all she had to stay alive?

I debated helping her in my mind; I had my own magic now, but I had never healed anything before. I could so easily make things worse. Though the Shadow was a good guide to me, I just could not risk using such power when life sat so delicately before me. She was so fragile like this; one false action could kill her.

I could take her to Zelda, I thought, or bring Zelda here, but the last time something like this had happened, Zelda had been forced to share Midna's soul to keep her alive. Not that I doubted Zelda would act again if such action was called for, but I knew she would not be overly enthusiastic about it. Besides, despite the graveness of the situation, Midna was not nearing death this time. At least, not immediately. If those wounds did not heal, well, it didn't bear thinking about.

I thought of other things I could do, then thought of ways of healing light-dwellers. We had doctors, surgeons, shamen…

No, all were useless. They would not know what they were dealing with. Renado had already explained this to me.

But what about less invasive ways of healing?

Potions!

I had never given Midna a potion before as I did not wish to risk it having the opposite effect on her Twili form. But now, she carried light within her. It might just be enough.

I told Renado. As I had guessed, he could not answer me, but his nod suggested I could try it. Her wounds still would not heal. Her time was running out.

I reached into my pack and sorted through my jars, pulling out two potions. One was the normal potion we Hylians could buy in many places to heal ourselves. The other was very special; it was the Great Fairy's Tears, the most powerful potion, given to me by Jovani in gratitude. Supposedly, it could heal any injury and would boost the health of any Hylian. Perhaps it would have the same effect on Midna. After all, if I only had one chance, I should use the most powerful force I posses, I told him.

Renado watched as I uncapped the potion. I had instructed him in what to do if she worsened; I had told him of my ability to become an animal, and he told me with unwavering calm that he had seen me morph a few times. With my secret safe, he was prepared to place Midna on my back the moment I was ready to take her. His daughter Luda stood by the door to let me out if this happened; I would warp us straight to the castle. Seconds could be the difference between life and… the other option. I held the potion in my right hand; with my left, I drew my middle three digits together in a sign we Hylians used as luck. It almost resembled the Triforce, seen from the fingertips, the thumb and little finger spread as though wings of a great bird. Or to me, the cross of a sword.

I gently opened Midna's tiny mouth and gingerly poured some of the potion down her throat. It met no resistance; she swallowed it all. I would know in moments if it was working; the effect of potions, especially magical ones, was immediate.

Midna's breaths did not change. Perhaps she was too different for it to have any effect at all. I corked the bottle and placed it aside. As I did, I heard Midna take a deep gasping breath.

Renado looked around in shock. Midna's body bucked, her stomach rising under the blanket as her back arched. Just as quickly, she fell back to the table. Her eyes stayed closed.

I was halfway to morphing when I saw her chest rise again. She was still breathing, and deeper now! I thought of something else to prevent changing form and looked at the cut on her arm.

The bleeding had stopped, and as I watched, the skin began to knit itself together! Renado looked on in awe. He checked the cuts on the other side of her body; he nodded to say they too were healing.

She still had a long way to go, but she was heading for recovery.

*

Over the next few hours, I gave her a few more doses of the Great Fairy's Tears. Though her wounds had begun to heal, it seemed the damage was greater than one gulp alone could deal with, and I fed her the potion with care. I did not wish to overwhelm her; given her initial reaction to it, I could not risk making things worse.

It was an hour, at most, before first light when I checked her wounds again. The gash on her arm had vanished, but a scar remained to tell of the damage. I checked her other injuries and they looked similar; whole, but easy to see where they had been.

My next fear was injuries within her that I could not hope to treat; it was well-known that sewing up the cut left by a sword would do no good if that sword had pierced parts below the skin. Many a soldier had lost his life because of this; I feared the same for her. She had cuts all over her body; though her arms and legs were the most injured, she had one deep gash to her stomach and a lesser cut to her chest. They had all healed, but I had no idea of the damage beneath the surface. I could only pray that the Tears could deal with whatever was there, or that her own magic now had a fighting chance of saving her.

And then…

Her arm moved.

Ever so slightly, her elbow twitched. I heard her take a deeper breath.

She could be waking!

Her eyes twitched and her head moved slightly. Her mouth opened and she drew a deep breath. It must have stretched her newly-healed cuts, for she coughed. It sounded like a sword-strike to my ears.

Her body lurched with the cough. I didn't know what to do – should I hold her down, or would that do her more harm? But the cough was singular, and she fell back again. Her head moved again and her eyes stirred.

She opened her eyes.

Her beautiful, deep-red eyes, the colour of fire.

She looked at me, and tried to focus on me.

My mouth fell slightly open and my breath was still.

"Link…" she said very slowly, and so quietly had anything around me made noise I would not have heard it.

"Midna…" I whispered back. "I'm here!"

Her mouth twisted into a shallow smile and her eyes squinted. "You're here…" She echoed, and almost breathed, "…a dream…"

Did she think she was dreaming? My eyes flickered; it was quite possible. She must have been through a lot. To come straight from the Twilight Realm to here would seem only possible in the mind.

But before I could say something, her eyes slid slowly shut and she fell asleep again. She was so weak.

I placed my hand in hers; her hand was so cold. I wrapped the blanket better around her and moved the lantern closer. The night was nearly over; soon the Sun would rise and the day would begin.

A day when, hopefully, I would find out what was happening.

*

I did not leave Renado's house that day. I stayed with her the entire time. Renado was kind to me; he brought me some food for both breakfast and lunch, and though I offered him some Rupees for his kindness, he would not take them. It seemed he was more concerned about recovery.

For both of us.

The day passed slowly. In between my watches over her, I spent it thinking, sometimes aloud, about what could have happened to her. Renado heard me talking, essentially, to myself and came to listen to me. I told him about her, where she came from, what we had been through together, and I think I hinted at what she meant to me. I knew him to be very intelligent, and he simply soaked up all the knowledge I passed to him, nodding in complete comprehension. He understood her plight, and told me that he knew exactly what she meant to me. He had known as soon as I had appeared at his door; he said he saw a fire in my eyes, that I was ready to do anything to save the imp in my arms. His words rang true and I felt tears in my eyes. Again, he told me he understood, placed a hand on my shoulder, and went to prepare the evening's meal. I remained with her as the Sun lowered in the sky, and before I knew it, I gazed out of the window into that beautiful, ghastly light again.

The Twilight hour, the time when worlds collided, was so special to me. Zelda knew why, and everyone in Ordon had discovered that I would grow unpredictable at this hour. For the first week afterwards, the villagers sometimes found me at the spring, or in the woods, simply gazing into the sky as the golden light bathed the land. They did not know it, but I was trying to feel close to her. But my efforts were in vain. I was hurting myself, trying to go back to something that could not be, and in my grief I eventually shut those memories out of my mind. It hurt me too much to even think of her.

And now, here she was. She had showed me a side of myself I had never known, and that had led me here. As soon as she had appeared, all the conflict she had ignited in me months ago, all the warring emotions, the anger, sadness and fear, it had all gone away. She completed me. Just being here was enough. I would tell her as soon as I felt she was ready.

Which could be quite soon.

I noticed movement out of the corner of my eye, and looked down to see Midna moving again. Her movements were more vigorous this time; she seemed to be stretching her arms and legs.

_She was waking up!_

Her voice cut in quietly and I heard her groan with the stretch. She drew in another deep breath, let it go and pulled open her eyes.

"Link…" she said quietly, but not as weakly as she had been. Inside, I sighed with relief. "Link, I must be dreaming…" Her speech was almost a whisper, and very slow. It seemed like a dream to me, too.

"Midna… it's not a dream. I'm really here, with you. Do you believe me?" I said back.

Again, a smile twitched at her mouth. "Yes, you're here in my dream," she said.

What could I do to convince her? In her mind, everything she saw was possible. But in dreams, there was no pain. I kicked myself for the thought, but there was no other way. We both needed to understand what was going on, and there seemed no alternative to convince her. "Midna, I'm sorry," I whispered as I ran my hand along her arm, and as gently as I could, I brushed her scar.

That did it. I hoped it hurt me more than her, to inflict pain on someone I loved just to make her think. I swore to myself that I would never, ever hurt her again.

Midna flinched violently from my grasp, the blanket flapping as she cried out. The flesh was still tender, but hopefully it shocked her more than it hurt her. She had a look of alarm in her eyes. "I've never been hurt in a dream before!" She exclaimed, looking at her arm and rubbing the scar very gently with her other hand.

My face scrunched up and I looked away from her. I shouldn't have done that. "That's because this isn't a dream, Midna. I'm sorry for hurting you." I chanced a look back at her. Our eyes met; my eyes, as deep as oceans, shining as sapphires, hers as red as rubies, burning like fire. We were such opposites, yet drawn so close together. And as I made my apology, I saw with relief that there was no hatred or pain in her eyes, only the last remnants of shock and a desire for answers.

Midna's face turned to one of realisation. She took a deep breath and her gaze burrowed into me. "B-but then... L-Link?" She stammered.

I placed my hand by hers, open for her to take, if she could forgive me. "I'm here."

"Th-then… I'm here, too?" I nodded. She took my hand, feeling the warmth pass between us. Our gaze did not break, but our faces turned to wide smiles as we both accepted where we were – together again. It was a magical moment.

"B-but, where **is** here?" Midna said, confused.

Time for the explanations. "You're in Renado's house in Kakariko Village," I told her straight. "You were badly hurt," I added.

"Kakariko Village…" She lowered her eyes and ran through the words as though alien. "I'm in the Light Realm??" She said suddenly. Her voice was growing stronger. She looked straight at me. I gave a deep nod. "How??"

"That's a pretty long story. First, I need to know. How are you feeling?" I asked.

"I don't know…" She said faintly. She seemed to be searching herself, trying to work out what was wrong. "My body aches all over. What happened?" She replied.

"I had hoped you could tell me," I said. My concern for her bled into my voice. "You scared me a lot when I found you. You came through the portal barely alive. You were delirious and passed out as soon as I caught you. I brought you here so Renado could see to your injuries."

"How long was I out?" She said solemnly.

"Nearly two days."

"But how…? Kakariko is days away from the portal…"

I smiled at her. "Let's just say I learnt a few things since you left. Old wolf, new tricks!"

She smiled back, snorted a laugh and shook her head. She would probably ask me what I meant later. "I don't remember anything about what happened. I don't remember the portal, what led me there… nothing."

"I think you were attacked," I said, hoping to jar her memory. "You had cuts all over. There was a time I feared you wouldn't get better," I said with a heavy voice.

She nodded at me, but said nothing. Instead, she waved her free hand experimentally, shaking her head. "My magic is drained," she said heavily. "It must have been serious. I must have needed it all to keep me here. How did I get better?"

"I gave you most of the Great Fairy's Tears."

"That stuff? No wonder I want to wash my mouth out!" She made a disgusted face and then grinned. I smiled. "I felt strange when I woke up; it must have been the magic of the potion. I really thought I was dreaming again; it just didn't _feel_ real."

"From what I can tell, you went from a normal day in the Twilight to ending up injured as an imp in the Light world," I said with a wide grin. "I'd be more worried if you thought this was normal!"

Midna chuckled. Oh, how I missed that soft laugh in my ear. But then she was serious. She looked over herself, as though she had missed it. "By the Goddesses, I _am_ an imp again!!" Her face turned to shock. This was indeed serious.

"You don't know how you became an imp?" I asked her, very confused now.

"No! I… I just don't know what's happening!" She said, an edge of panic in her voice.

"Shh!" I hushed, stroking her hand in mine. "We'll work it out, Midna. There has to be an answer. We'll find it." Compared to my answers from the Goddesses, what we sought was probably quite simple.

"What's the last thing you remember?" I asked her.

"I don't know…" She said, closing her eyes and shaking her head. "My mind is a mess; I don't know yesterday from years ago. I'll have to start much further back."

She gripped my hand and closed her eyes. Every so often, her face twitched as she searched her memories. I could only guess what she saw.

* * *

Wait, Midna doesn't even know she's an imp? Wow, what happened to her, I wonder? :) R&R and you find out faster!  
Okay, I know the bit where Link touches Midna's scar could be seen as controversial, but I couldn't think of another way to convince Midna it wasn't a dream - the other idea was that Midna's dreams would involve Link wearing substantially less clothing and that didn't really fit :) In all seriousness, I hope that's acceptable to everyone, and rest assured I won't do anything like that again.  
Until tomorrow, same time or hopefully earlier!


	19. Chapter 16: New Old Life

Minor correction made 8:15PM GMT 05-01, thanks Meta for pointing it out! I hadn't realised.  
Thanks to Scrambled Eggz, Dwarg91, Zel, Amaya, Crimson, Rebelgoddesses and ConGie for their reviews! As such, here's chapter 16 3.5 hours early!  
This chapter's been through the blender a lot, but I think it flows well. It'll also explain a lot about what's going on.  
Chapter 17 is the last part I have pre-written, and remember, the more reviews I get, the faster it goes up! Half and hour per review! I've enabled anonymous reviews now, so you don't need an account. However, the first hint of flame/spam and it gets disabled again and the 'review' removed; not something I will tolerate, so let's not let it come to that.  
Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 16  
New Old Life

(~^~)

_It was all over._

_All of it._

_Nothing left._

_I watched it._

_As I stepped forward, the portal darkened. Quickly, its symbols faded to black for the last time. I had done what was necessary, for this world and his._

_So why did I feel so bad about it?_

_I turned away, to face the courtyard of the Palace of Twilight._

_Home._

_The Twilight floated around me, black particles of ancient magic rising through the air._

_The Twili guards restored to their true forms._

_Yet with all this normality surrounding me, I felt so alone, so alien…_

_It was a month ago that I had last walked the ground here in this form. I was so thankful to him for what he had done; restored the Realm of Twilight to its former glory, returned my people to their natural forms, given me back my body… I owed him so much._

_And I had just shut him out._

You have no honour! He thought you'd changed, that you understood each other, yet you _still_ used him! And what was that?? 'Link, I… See you later?!' That was pathetic! The least you could have done was tell him. What could he do? You were going to close the portal anyway; why not watch his self-destruction as you went instead of hiding here while he drags it out?!

_I shunned the voice. I did what I needed to do for the Kingdom. This was greater than me, now. My people came first. They were always, and would always be, my first duty. All other concerns were secondary. What kind of ruler would I be if I let my personal feelings come before their safety?_

_Equally, what kind of ruler used people to their own gains? The voice had a point; I shouldn't have done that. Maybe there was another way…_

_Oh, what difference would it make? It was done. There was no undoing it._

I would never see him again.

*

_The first week set the theme for my return. After the palace attendants had welcomed me back, there was an important duty I had to fulfil._

_Raising the Bridge of Twilight._

_This elegant structure linked the Twilight Palace with the true land far below. As I had left this realm, I had broken the connection at this end for the safety of the remaining Twili. The last thing I wanted was a well-meaning citizen making his way up here, only to be struck down by evil._

_Another link I had broken. Though this one could be rebuilt._

_It had been quite a ceremony; they took it as a reason to celebrate my return. As I focussed my restored magic on the bridge, all I could think about was him. I had severed the connection between us just like this bridge, yet I was so casually restoring this one. I would not even _try_ to restore the one that meant most to me._

_What had he done when the Mirror broke? Left to think nothing more of it? No, most likely Zelda had been forced to remove him. But surely he would get over it. We make so many friends in life we must be prepared to lose them._

But we were more than friends…

_Don't be ridiculous! I'm a Twili, he's a Hylian!_

And that's supposed to stop what you feel? Don't try and justify it; you feel _something_ for him. Just admit it to yourself.

_That voice was so distracting I came close to dropping the Bridge with my magic. I recovered in time to cover my moves, though an observant councillor seemed to notice._

_Rallic._

_This was where things had begun…_

_*_

_A week after I had restored the Bridge and the Kingdom had been unified once more, I faced a new enemy._

_The Council._

_Led by Rallic, they seemed to exist purely to challenge me. I knew they lusted for power, but I had made myself clear enough._

_I had the ultimate say._

_Anyone who questioned me was questioning the Royal Family. There were two punishments for those people – imprisonment in the Nothingness for a day for first offenders. The second didn't bear thinking about._

_Rallic had already spent two days in the Nothingness; it was a unique place in our realm, a place that the Sols could not touch. It was a place where light and sound did not exist – a place of perpetual blackness and silence. Though those prepared could safely venture into it for brief periods, the absence of all light was strange when it bathed us constantly. When left in the Nothingness for more than an hour or so, people __**changed**__. They became quieter, more respectful, and more tolerant. _

_Naturally, Rallic hadn't. One more question from him and I would publicly strip him of his role. With a nasty smile, I considered publicly stripping him of his clothing to make sure he got the message._

_As I took my seat in the ghastly, elegant chair at the head of the table, the twelve councillors turned to face me._

_Each councillor had been picked to represent one of the twelve districts in the Twilight Realm. Rallic hailed from the land below the Palace and was thus directly connected with it. Careful negotiations and several unproven threats later, he faced me from the other end of the table as Chair of the Council. His long red robe symbolised his power. I wished so much to turn it to fire._

"_Princess Midna," Rallic began. "Today, we must have an answer. You have stalled long enough."_

_As I gritted my teeth, he brought his hands out from under his robe, his long, white-ish fingers stacked as a pyramid. The 'answer' he sought was to the Question of the Four, the current trial that was generating many questions of its own. It was a tradition to name these events as questions of the number involved. Questions asked by the Council were serious matters, and in this case four Twili stood trial for murdering a fifth._

_The facts were solid only so far as one Twili, a young man slightly younger than __**him**__ and myself, had been slain by one of the group while the other three held him down. In their defence, the four involved claimed to have done so under the influence of Zant, and there were plenty of witnesses who backed this story. I myself could tell they had been touched by Zant's dark magic; I had searched their minds personally with my abilities and could not find a trace of any desire to kill. All I could feel was fear, for their lives. If they were found guilty, they would be executed._

_It was obvious to all they had no control over their actions, and yet I voted to release them each time alone. There was an appointed jury, but they would only be called in if there was a significant deadlock from the council, and right now, they were all set against me. It despised me that the council continued to fight me; they were supposed to be the best hope of rebuilding the realm, not a body that threatened to tear the land apart._

_Deep down, I knew I was only fighting one of them, but I couldn't prove a thing. It seemed they sought to delay as much as possible to force my hand. Without a unanimous vote, the council had to recess, but for a maximum of three days, after which the majority vote would be taken. Today was day three. Nothing had changed, but I had one more card to play._

"_The answer remains, Rallic." I locked eyes with him, his dull, grey eyes remaining steady under the fire of mine. "They are not guilty of so much as forgetting to wipe their shoes. The entire kingdom sees it. For its council to blindly pursue this course of action is madness."_

"_No, Princess, what is __**true**__ madness is yours," he said with unwavering calm. My lip curled more as he continued. "Why can you not see the evil on their faces? Has the harsh light left __**you**__ blind and not aware? No, our decision still stands."_

"_As does mine." My hair flickered like flame as my anger tried to escape. "You have forced me to do this. I am issuing a Royal Pardon to these men for their crimes; they are not guilty." The steel in my voice could have made a sword as I finished my sentence. I wished to do so, to cut down the frantic voices of this useless council. Rallic remained oddly quiet, though._

_The others sensed this and silenced themselves. He spoke quietly, completely unfazed._

"_Further evidence of your degrading mind, Princess. I believe you to be unstable, moreover, unfit to rule the Twilight Realm. I have here," he produced a scroll from within his robes, "a bill to remove you until a doctor concludes you sane. All it requires is the signatures of all present. I assume I have unanimous support?"_

_I guess they expected me to be horrified, to fight him hand-to-hand right here. No, I would not rise to him. I would play him at his own game._

"_I equally have a proposal for you, Rallic." I produced my own scroll. "I have here a document that moves to nullify your status as Chair of the Council pending a full criminal investigation for blackmail, bribery and many threats. Don't look so surprised; I've dealt with your kind before. And this time I will do something about it. This is a Royal Decree issued in the presence of six of the twelve councillors, meaning it will pass immediately. Would any other councillor desire to add their support?"_

_My bluff went as I had hoped; I would never have been able to draw up such a document without his knowledge. Royal Decrees had to be overseen by the Chair of the Council, but that was something of a footnote in the Council Charter. I smiled inside, glad that for once, the other councillors hadn't paid attention._

_All of the councillors rose to me. With them, I watched as Rallic rose from his chair, his face verging on panic. Now, it didn't matter that I had no grounds for these accusations. His reaction was all I needed. Now he would either try to fight me, or he would try to escape. And I had one solution for both._

_I focussed my power; in my true form, the full intensity of my magic was unleashed. It is said that the true Ruler of the Twili is the most powerful sorcerer (or sorceress) in the land by definition._

_As he turned to flee, a wall of unbreakable crystal rose out of the ground before him. As he stopped in shock, three more walls appeared out of nowhere and slammed together around him. He was trapped._

_It couldn't have gone better. When the councillors realised his stranglehold on them was broken, they confessed to his manipulations. It turned out he was trying to portray me as having been corrupted by the light we had been banished from, trying to keep up the façade that the Realm of Light was our sworn enemy. I'd expected something not unlike this, but to do so, he had threatened to curse the families of most of the councillors. Fortunately, as an added measure, I had created the crystal cell to block all magic from within. I secured statements from all the remaining councillors; with them, I could force Rallic to stand trial for his crimes._

_Rallic was succeeded by Turos as Chair of the Council. Turos was honourable and wise, and so I picked him to preside over Rallic's trial. I noted with satisfaction that two of the jurors were of the same Twili who stood trial there not days before. They didn't know it was he who wished them dead in a deluded grab for power, but I found it fitting that they would now help decide his fate._

_His charges were long; with him safely locked in the crystal, even I was surprised at the number who came forward to tell of the toes he had trodden on or the faces he had stepped on, all in his own gain. And yet he did not react to anything, which scared me to the bone. Though he would not face death for his crimes, his most likely punishment was to be feared more. It was said to be worse than death._

_Eternal banishment to the Nothingness._

_In the Nothingness, a Twili needed no food or water, they could not die, become injured or feel physical pain. However, their minds became sharper and without light or sound to guide them, they would go slowly mad for the rest of time._

_It was a cruel punishment, only handed down to the very worst criminals. Had Zant survived, I would have immediately kicked him into it myself. I swore to myself for letting my anger get the better of me, but the remaining councillors didn't blame me. I had a feeling I'd have run into a gang ready to hang Zant themselves before I'd even got him to the Bridge._

_Turos did not fail the Twili as Rallic had. He gave an unbiased and fair take on the accusations, before concluding that the only goal Rallic had ever sought was his own, that this would never change and he showed no remorse for his crimes. As the jury found him guilty, Turos carried out the punishment I both hoped and dreaded._

_Still encased in crystal, he was dragged to the Nothingness, a wall of blackness not unlike what the Twilight Curtain looked like in Hyrule. Whilst anyone could fall through it, only those who wore a certain charm could ever hope to leave – the charms drove back the Nothingness in a small circle around them, and were the only way to break free of its clutches. We had charms that could be timed to release criminals as needed._

_Rallic would receive no charm. He received nothing from anyone; still wearing his Council robe, he was brought to the Nothingness and, as soon as I broke apart his crystal confines, he was pushed through the Nothingness and into eternal blackness._

_It was hard to feel happy after that. Before the evil Ganondorf had stolen the land, Rallic had been acceptable; though we were not friends, we had a decent working relationship and his intelligence was appreciated. But he had been here when Zant took over, and as such, he was possessed by Zant's power. It had changed him, shown him Zant's lusting for absolute power, and he was never the same again. He changed so quickly that he became a danger, and I felt it necessary to ensure the others who had been touched by darkness would not share his fate. One needed reassurance of his ability as Councillor, but I was able to reform the Council a week later, in much better standing._

_Turos proved wise, but unwilling to act on small matters, so it was not long before I was forced to take charge once more. I did not see the point in the Council if they did not do their jobs. Soon, I was single-handedly managing the Realm. The Councillors would sit all day in that room, arguing and going in circles whilst I went out and dealt with the needs of my people. Every waking hour, I was amongst them, guiding the efforts to rebuild the realm and restore our society._

_Perhaps this is why I did not see it coming._

_*_

_A few months of this regime would be enough to tire anyone. Even though the quest had toughened me, politics were more draining than fighting fire-breathing dragons (though granted, I hadn't actually been the one fighting). I had returned home to the palace one night to find the Councillors still arguing. They sounded most agitated as usual; I left them to it. I intended to give them one more week to prove their usefulness or I would make a significant revision to the Council Charter using a ball of fire._

_I returned to my room to rest. The Sols were dimming; the Realm experienced no natural days or nights. The magic of the Sols determined our wake and sleep. I sat in my chambers before my desk and drew a flask to me. I sipped the wine from it softly; it calmed me considerably. There was no reason it shouldn't; it was from the last batch of wine my grandfather had made. He was particularly gifted with wines, being able to enchant them to produce the most authentic moods in the drinker. This wine instilled beautiful calmness, true relaxation. In addition, I had one final bottle left, one of pure happiness, that I could not bring myself to even touch. What reason had I to be happy? I knew misery was no excuse, but if I covered it with magic, when my misery returned it would be worse._

_I left it for an occasion when I would not need it to be happy, ironically. Grandfather's happiness wine had strange side-effects; it became addictive and dangerous in large doses. It was the last bottle of happiness he ever produced, though he made other wines for many years after. I had kept it ever since._

_As I leant back to look in my mirror, I caught sight of some distant darkness. Night was falling faster than usual. Odd._

_I turned to the window and looked out._

_My insides became as ice._

_Far below, on the land, I saw the Nothingness growing. Ever so slowly, but it was growing._

_It was impossible. For thousands of years, it had not moved beyond its limits._

_And before my eyes, it began to grow faster. Blackness consumed everything it touched; houses and lights fell into it, not to be seen._

_Fear drove me. I pulled from my desk the Royal Charm; immune to the effects of the Nothingness, the charm would keep me safe. I fastened it securely to my wrist._

_I sped out of my room and found the council still there, oblivious. This was their chance to prove their usefulness._

"_Princess, please do not interrupt…" Turos said impatiently, removing his glasses to look at me._

_I stormed past him, threw open the window and gestured._

_The Nothingness was on its way here._

_Turos froze. No, no!_

_I needed him! I needed him to release the remaining Shadows to me! They were kept securely by him and the Council. I needed them!_

"_Turos! Listen to me! I need the Shadows!" I commanded, grabbing his shoulders and looking him in the eyes._

"_Y-y-yes, Princess, let us go about the proper procedure…" he stuttered._

_Oh __**Tessek**__!_

_With that, the darkness swept up the Bridge and over the Palace, turning everything to black._

_*_

_I was alone when I found myself, sometime later. Everything was completely black. No light, no heat. Even the air hung heavy. The Charm drove it back, generating an eerie white light, but not by much. The Councillors were gone._

_I navigated out of the Council chamber and debated where to go, deciding on the Throne room. It was about the only place I knew I would find an answer. However, I would likely need some more magic._

_I knew where the Shadows were; they were kept in a magical safe deep in the Palace. I could break into it, but it would take time. Fortunately, it seemed like I had plenty of that._

_I went to the safe chamber. It took me a long time to navigate the castle; the charm could only clear a small circle around me at a time. It was meant more for a Royal to keep their mind than to guide them. Were everything around me totally black, I would most likely have discovered this true madness Rallic was convinced I had._

_I approached the safe. It was fairly nondescript, understated, made of metal. It looked quite normal. However, it was sealed with magic. Fittingly, my magic, but wielded by the Council to make sure I did not have free reign over this ancient power._

_I placed my hands on the safe and focussed, feeling the seal around the door with my mind. It was like running my hands over a perfectly smooth surface to find its imperfections. Those 'bumps' in the magic were the key to its unlocking; correctly manipulated, it would release._

_I found the key and began working on it. I do not know how much time passed as I worked furiously, but eventually the safe yielded to me. From inside, I retrieved the three Shadows. Without the final piece, the destroyed helmet, their full power was lost, but they held enough magic of their own that they would aid me. I placed the pieces in my Twili pockets, from which they would spring out when commanded._

_Just like before…_

_I walked carefully out of the safe room and inaudibly found my way to the Throne Room door. It was so quiet in the Nothingness; even sounds I made barely registered. A footfall on stone was quashed to sound like thick carpet. A footfall on thick carpet was completely lost. The charm not only gave me light, it also revived some of the sounds that the emptiness around me suppressed. Without it, I could have gone mad from the silence alone. _

_Eventually I reached the doors to my Throne Room. I noticed on the way up that the palace's Shadow magic was still functional, which meant that my power would doubtless be unaffected. I flicked my fingers; sparks of purple Twili magic crossed between my fingertips. Whoever did this would pay._

_I could feel malevolence within the room. Something of pure evil. The driving force behind this. And yet, I heard sound from the doors. Very faint. I put my ear to the point the doors met._

It was laughter!

_For someone to laugh at my kingdom like this drove me wild. My eyes flashed red and the Shadows snapped to my sides, circling me. I didn't knock, or even push the doors open. I directed a burst of Shadow energy to throw the doors aside. Much more intimidating._

_The darkness was even thicker in the Throne room, but I could hear the laughter coming softly from the spot where I knew my Throne to be. I approached it, showing none of the fear I felt. The Charm pushed the darkness back further and further until I could make out the Throne._

_Someone sat in it._

_I approached only enough that I could see who it was._

"_RALLIC?!"_

_Panic gripped me. HE had done this?_

_Rallic laughed wildly, a laugh of madness, an empty, hollow sound. His grey eyes had gone white, his skin ghostly pale. He was incredibly thin. The council robe was torn in many places. His head had rolled to his right shoulder as he shook with that manic sound._

_A few seconds passed until he seemed to notice me. It surprised me that he could not sense the powerful Shadow magic I had aimed at him. But he eventually lifted his head to face me._

"_Midna! Oh I finally have some company!" He said brightly, as though greeting an old friend. In the all-consuming darkness, his voice was free of the echo the room normally granted, which made it all the more eerie. I remained rooted to the spot, focussed on his head. One bolt of full Shadow power would be enough to remove it from his shoulders, but I needed to know how to return the realm to normal._

_Then I sensed it; there was another presence here. I should have known from the start; Rallic had magic, but nothing like what was needed to manipulate darkness._

"_Who are you?" I snarled. "You're not just Rallic, are you?"_

_His voice turned deeper, darker. I knew it._

"_You're very fast, Midna. Very quick to act, to choose your path… unlike this fool. He spent more of his time coming up with ideas than acting on them. But I will concede; you threw a hungry dog a very juicy bone."_

_I knew that voice, but I couldn't place it; fear shot through me as I ran through possibilities._

"_Still don't know who I am? Ha, I take it back," the voice possessing Rallic mocked. "But you like playing games; let's move to the next level."_

_Rallic, or rather, Rallic's body, stood and stepped closer to me. The Shadows circled me faster, building up for an attack. It took more effort to hold in my power than to blast him apart._

_Rallic's face disappeared into darkness; even my Charm could not push it back. Soon, however, another face took his._

_No._

_No no no, this was not possible!_

_NO!_

"_This time, shadow and light have been moved by pure darkness, Midna. Beautiful, all-consuming, unstoppable darkness. And I will rule it as its King!"_

"_Ganondorf," I growled._

_His evil face was now in the place of Rallic's. To attack him now would be suicide._

"_I suspect you'll want to know what happened. Especially before I dispense with you." He smiled wickedly. "When that eternally-lucky Hylian thought he had finally destroyed me, I simply removed my spirit from that broken body. It's amazing the power the Triforce grants," he sneered, showing me the symbol on Rallic's hand. My lip curled when I saw him brandish the Sign of the Goddesses as a trophy. "I retreated here, thinking I would have more than enough time to regain my power before returning to Hyrule. But I knew you wouldn't make it easy. You wisely severed the connection to Hyrule, a move I had not anticipated. At least, it seemed wise until you threw this body to me."_

"_I took up residence in the Nothingness to regenerate. No-one would ever find me, and I had much time to myself to devise my return. Then you gave me this nice new body, which through its desire for power I could so easily manipulate and control…"_

_Another Zant._

_I was facing ANOTHER Zant!_

"_He was much more docile than that heclic Zant, I must say," he said as if in response. "You broke him, Midna. Not directly, of course. Two doses of this Nothingness, then back in permanently? His mind caved in like paper the moment my power __**touched**__ him. And with a body, well, my powers grew. Then I discovered how to manipulate the Nothingness. It is so willing to seek out and destroy light, it's a wonder it remained steady for so long! If I cannot have Light or Shadow, no-one will. I shall drench the entirety of creation in Nothingness. Light and Shadow will be no more! Darkness will consume everything and nothing can stop it!"_

_What about this?_

_I had already built up the Shadow power in the shapes around me; I just needed to release it at the right moment. So I aimed for his chest, and when he dropped his guard for a moment, I let him have it._

_The Shadow blast caught him square in the chest; though he was more than ready for me, he hadn't been expecting this degree of power. It threw him back into the Throne, and I heard several bones in Rallic's frail body break. Hopefully his neck was among them._

_Rallic's broken body lay splayed across the Throne for a few seconds. Then, with a sickening crunching noise, it rose again, setting his bones instantly. As if it would be that easy. I felt him preparing some kind of magical attack and I dived; just in time. A burst of concentrated darkness shot over my back. I didn't want to think about what it could do to me, a combination of light and shadow as I was._

_I darted across the room but another burst hit just before me; no doubt he could see perfectly in the darkness, and I wore a charm granting me light. I had been told its light was only visible to the wearer, but it was magical, and another sorcerer could sense magic as easily as smelling a powerful aroma. I took a risk with what I did next; I frantically pulled off the charm and stowed it in my pockets._

_Everything went dark and silent. I could neither see nor hear Ganondorf as he moved around me. I retreated to where I knew the door was. I could tell he was following._

_What I couldn't tell was where the ledge ended; I slipped down it and fell. I harnessed my magic quickly enough to slow my fall, using the time to prepare to run. I felt the rush of magic with my powers as Ganondorf fell from the ledge behind me as I ran. Blast after blast of Darkness slammed into the ground around me. And then, I ran into a wall. I couldn't tell where I was, only where he was._

'_I'm a target here!' I thought._

_Then it hit me._

_Not the attack, though that came close; I was able to dodge it just in time. This was hopeless; even if he couldn't see me, he would be able to sense my magic, charm or not, and against an enemy I couldn't see, I was useless. I had to hide, and there was only one effective way. I had the power to become one with the darkness, moving through it as if in shadow, invisible and untouchable. But not like this; my true form was far too big to change…_

_Could I do this?_

_Yes, I had to._

_I summoned the dark power of the Shadows as I ran away from where I felt he was. This would be the worst thing I could do to myself, but I had to._

_I reached inside myself and found what was left of Zant's curse. I grimaced, then used the Shadow power to stroke it, to revive that evil magic._

_That was it._

_I felt it again, the unimaginable pain as my body was rearranged, as I became something I was never supposed to be, all the while avoiding Ganondorf's attacks._

_Finally, the pain ceased. I was an imp again, I thought tragically, but now I had the upper hand._

_I gathered the Shadows and harnessed my power to disappear. And that was it. I became a shadow myself; I was one with the Darkness. I was completely undetectable in the black. Better yet, I could see, as clear as _he_ could see in the Twilight. I saw Ganondorf searching for me, completely confused. I moved away from him as he yelled, "Very clever, Midna, but you can do nothing as you are! Your realm has fallen to the Darkness and you are nothing but a shadow!"_

_The fury I felt towards him nearly made me yell at him, but he was right. The downsides to my actions soon outweighed the advantages – in seconds I'd doomed myself. He could no longer hurt me, true, but not only did my imp form dull my magic, but as a shadow I couldn't act. Even if he walked before me devoid of armour and defensive magic, I couldn't hurt him without becoming vulnerable myself. This instant decision had just ruined my chances of stopping him._

_I got a hold of myself, telling myself that he could kill me instantly if I were in my true form. I had done the right thing, survived and sought another way. And now, I knew I had to get out of here. I searched for the route out of the palace and found it. And I ran. Well, moved as quickly as a shadow could. I hugged every surface for protection, just in case. I didn't know what I would do; I just wanted to escape the palace. There was nothing I could do, no-one would suddenly appear to help me… maybe I could find a place on the land not yet touched by this evil? I had to get away from him and think._

_I finally found the way out of the palace and rose above it in the Darkness. I looked over the remnants of the land; Darkness had consumed it all. There was nothing left. No doubt the citizens were already feeling its effects. I saw a few moving shapes far below me; they made no sounds I could hear, but I could tell the darkness was getting to them. To reduce my subjects to the level of criminals…_

_I would personally ensure Ganondorf's slow, painful destruction._

_Even if it killed me._

_Right on cue, he stormed out of the palace, looking for me. I floated around him, checking I was invisible. He couldn't see me. That much was good news._

_Then came that spectacular sense of timing._

_I could sense the change in power in the area. Dim magical light was coming from somewhere, and it wasn't him or me. I whirled around in the air to see the Twilight Portal._

_It was active!_

_NO! HE CAN GET THROUGH NOW!_

_I had to prevent that happening._

_Everything else was secondary._

_I had to close the portal._

_I had the advantage of speed, but I couldn't go through the portal as a Shadow. I would have to become solid; it was the way it worked. I chose my moment and fled over to the portal. I summoned my power and became my solid, imp self. I had no idea what had caused this; perhaps the Goddesses smiled upon me, I did not know. But I became solid just in time to touch the activation ring on the ground. _

_Just in time to feel the impact that propelled me into the portal._

_I guess Ganondorf saw me, or at least anticipated my move, and fired at the ring; he must have hit the ground before it and dug up some stone, because that's what it felt like. Thousands of pieces of sharp stone battered my body as I was sucked uncontrollably into the portal. The pain never ceased, not even when the magic of the portal broke me into particles. And to be reassembled on the other side, even without the stone pieces, was agony. I couldn't control my magic; it was enough to ask it to keep me alive._

_I don't know why my injuries didn't knock me straight out; perhaps to mock me by allowing me to float helplessly into the arms of the Hylian who stood at the other side of the portal. Of all the people, it could only be him, right? He had to find me, especially like this. Or had I found him? I couldn't remember what I said; when he caught me, everything had become distant to me, like I was seeing him from the other end of a long tunnel. All I managed was a smile before the light I had so quickly returned to vanished from my sight._

_

* * *

_Right, what did you think of a whole chapter from Midna's perspective? Granted, it's a flashback, but now that she's here, expect another perspective on the events.

Thanks for reading, please review!


	20. Chapter 17: Together

Updated A/N at the bottom!  
Fantastic response to the last chapter - ten whole reviews! Awesome! I'm glad I enabled anonymous reviews! Many thanks to Meta, Zel, Dwarg, IgnorantOne, ConGie, dksamus, Ninja, Rebel, Varanus and TFFG! Also, hello and welcome to the massive number of new regular readers - sorry, too many to list!  
Though this nice long chapter is five hours early as a result, I haven't got Chapter 18 anywhere near ready, so I'll be taking a little break to work out where it's going next. Fittingly, Chapter 19's nearly complete! XD  
Oh, and to anyone wondering, Midna's amnesia was very much temporary. This starts as though she's summarised her flashback to Link.  
Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 17  
Together

(~^~)

Midna told me a short version of her memory; I knew it to be short as she was completely silent for several minutes as though she was reliving it. What she told me was very abridged, but it told me all I needed to know.

I felt her hurt as she thought of what happened to her realm, even without her saying a word. I held her hand as she began to tell me, trying to provide the support she needed. When she finished, I had a pretty clear picture of what had happened. And it all centred around one… _creature_…

Ganondorf was still alive. And he'd turned his attention to the Twilight Realm.

I felt that rage build again, like what I'd felt when I saw him lift Midna's helmet. That rage gave me purpose – to destroy him whatever the cost. I couldn't believe how much focus it had given me – in that final sword battle, I was so engaged, so driven by my desire to avenge her, that out of all the strikes I inflicted on Ganondorf, his blade only caught me twice. I had been quick on my feet and even quicker with my sword. I had matched blades with him time after time, each time to dominate him. And when I finally gained the chance to end it, I had summoned everything, all my strength, my power, my purpose, and ran him through with the blade that he feared. When he finally died, I 'd thought that was it. All over. But now, to find that what had died in Hyrule Field that day was just an empty shell? Would I have to start all over again?

I should have seen it coming. Ganondorf had borne the Triforce for decades. He knew more of the divine power than anyone. He would have found every trick possible to prevent his own death. Now, I wanted only to put this rage to use and destroy him once and for all.

But how?

Midna had been silent since she had finished her explanation. She looked at the blanket covering her, her face one of sadness. I felt a pang of guilt for worrying about Ganondorf before her people. "Can we save your people, Midna?" I said heavily.

She sighed, her gaze fixed on the blanket. "I don't know if there's anything left of them to save, Link. The Nothingness is probably the worst torture imaginable. It will ruin their minds if they're in it for too long, and I have no idea how to drive it back. Only by gaining Ganondorf's power have they any hope."

And that was something the evil sorcerer wasn't going to give up. Period.

"Is there anything you can do?"

"Without the full power of the Shadows, I'm useless. It would take at least that much magic to even find a starting point, but it's gone." She seemed to realise something and gasped. "I revived the curse and there's no way to break it, not without destroying him! Oh Goddesses, I'm trapped as this ugly imp forever!" She cried desperately; she collapsed in tears, her tiny hands covering her beautiful eyes.

"Midna," I said gently, leaning close to her, "I didn't tell you this as I wasn't sure how you'd react, but there is more hope than you know." I reached for my pack and opened it. From it, I retrieved something. Time slowed around us as Midna raised her head to look at me, her eyes widening and her mouth falling open as she saw what I held.

"Link… this is IMPOSSIBLE!" She breathed slowly.

"Do you know how many times I've heard that this month?" I said with a small smile. I held out the object with both hands to her.

"By the Goddesses, it shouldn't be…" She whispered as she reached for it. "The fourth piece…"

She held her hands underneath the stone helmet and levitated it with what I guessed to be her natural magic. In moments, I could feel the Shadow magic flowing around her as she examined it, checking over every inch of it.

"Link… how did this happen? Zelda told me it was broken – shattered!" She said, utterly unable to trust her eyes. She set the Shadow on her lap and continued to stare at it.

I thought for a second.

"I don't understand it myself, but as soon as I picked up a piece of the Shadow, it reassembled itself. It's like it chose me to aid it. It even let me use its magic."

Midna's eyes flew up to mine and widened to the point where I feared they would pop out of her head. "WHAT?!"

"Zelda could explain it better than me!" I said gingerly, almost defensively.

"No… no, that shouldn't be possible, Link," she told me, deadly serious. "This is _Shadow_ magic; you're a light-dweller. No way in Tessek should you be able to wield it."

"I can't explain why, Midna, but I did. It saved your life," I explained. "I warped you here from the Mirror chamber. That's why it took so little time."

"Wait, wait, the MIRROR!" She scrunched up her eyes in thought, trying to clear her head before looking at me, evidently coming up with no answers. "How the **Tessek** did _that_ come back together?!" She stressed both words quite effectively.

I wondered to myself just how extreme her disbelief could go, as my explanation would probably find its limits. "It's a long story," I said honestly.

"Well, it doesn't look like I'm going anywhere, so make it interesting, Mr. Important Hero; I could probably use more sleep," she said with that wicked, toothy grin. My heart warmed to the remark; the old Midna was coming back!

"I reassembled the Mirror of Twilight," I said. I decided to skip the details for now, test her reactions.

She shook her head lightly, unable to believe it. "But how? My power… my _highest_ power… only Twili Royalty could even **break** it! How could you put it back together?"

"I met the Goddesses, Midna. I spoke face to face with them."

Her face became one of awe. She could scarcely believe it, but when we looked in each other's eyes, I hoped she could feel the sincerity I felt in her. Maybe she did. "You met the Goddesses themselves?" She confirmed, still in amazement.

I nodded slowly. "I lost my purpose in life after you… left…" I said, emotion straining my voice. My words became heavy and slow. "Everything was emptiness to me. I just felt so lost. I heard of a legendary place called the World's Point." I paused, to see if she knew of the myth.

"…World's Point…" she pondered. "I remember something about it in ancient Twili history. Just one reference. The scholars were kept busy for years. The words were there, but they had no meanings. We thought we were translating them incorrectly. What is 'World's Point'?"

"A place of answers," I said, smiling slightly, thinking back. "It is said the Goddesses touched the earth there, and blessed it. In truth, I'm not sure, but when I reached it, they granted me an audience and allowed me time to find my answers."

"Answers to what?"

"What my purpose was, Midna. They told me of a quest I could take, of powers I could use to achieve a goal I set for myself. My purpose is to make my own life now."

"But…" she said, uncertainty returning. "But why did you rebuild the Mirror, Link? I broke it for the best for both our realms!"

My gaze fell away from her. "I understand why you did it, but to me, it wasn't the best for either of us," I started. "I rebuilt it because it felt like the right thing to do. Because… without you, Midna, my life was empty. It's taken me many months to realise why." Emotion was welling around my face again. My eyes glistened and flickered as I breathed. I looked her straight in the eyes and hesitated.

_This is what you've fought for, everything you've done has led to this moment. You know it's true. Say it._

"Midna, I…"

_Say it!_

"I…"

_SAY IT!!_

"I… love you, Midna. I love you, and I have for a long time. I did what I did for you, just to tell you…" My voice trailed off.

That was it.

It was out in the open.

My heart sat before me.

I knew that she could so easily smash it to pieces. She could destroy me.

And yet I was not as worried about that as I had thought. My emotions had frozen, waiting with baited breath for her response.

Her eyes blinked slowly, but she did not break the gaze. "You… love me?" She echoed. Her face was unreadable. Now came the fear of her reaction. It could go either way.

She closed her eyes and lowered her head. I could feel cracks going through my heart; what had I done? What had I said?

What would happen now?

Then all at once she reversed the motion; her head swept up to meet my eyes again. The burning fire returned. She swallowed and spoke, "Link, when I… left… I never finished what I wanted to say because I feared it was wrong. I feared that I did not truly mean what I would say, and I feared what it would do to you. It has taken me months to realise I was wrong. Wrong not to say it, and wrong about what I did." Her gaze drooped again, only to return. "Link, those words, those unspoken words…" Her voice fell to nearly a whisper and her eyes quivered with emotion.

"Link, I love you too."

What happened around me was no longer a concern to me. The entire world simply ceased to exist for all I cared. I felt my face break into a huge grin, a wider smile than I had ever known, rivalled only by hers. Pure happiness took me. An incredible feeling of true joy flowed through me, warming me from within. It was the perfect moment. Our hands were together, and we both tightened our grip. This was our moment, the time we had both allowed our guards to fall, placed our hearts before ourselves for the other to do with what they wished. The time when what was wrong went right.

For the longest time, we held that gaze, staring into the depths of the other's eyes, past the surface, into their soul. In Minda's, I saw the fire that went so well with her personality dance with energy I had never seen before. It was love I was looking at, buried in her heart for months and released by those unspoken words.

I had no idea what Midna saw in mine, but I could guess how she felt. It was such a relief to release those words; they had played around my head for so long. And to hear her reply, to hear her say the same in return, it doubled the feeling within me.

Everything was perfect.

If only for this incredible moment.

But that was all we needed.

*

I wanted to hold onto that moment forever. I wanted time to just freeze, to live the rest of my life in that instant with her. But even when it finally faded, I felt no regret in it. We had shared something so special, so tender – we had opened up our true feelings to each other and we had been rewarded. My happiness would not fade from that moment on. For as long as we were together, everything would be all right. No matter what.

Midna's smile softened and I allowed the moment to break. I blinked slowly, bowing my head.

"You really meant it," she said quietly. I looked back at her; there was no sarcasm, no malice behind it. It wasn't a question; I don't think she was even making sure. With almost a whisper, I responded, "All of it."

"I did, too.

Midna smiled and fell silent, evidently working over everything I'd told her. She thought for quite a while, but eventually an idea swept over her face, and that creepy grin appeared. It was starting to scare me.

The grin subsided to a smile of realisation. "Link… I think I know what this means. Why it all happened. You're not just the Hero of Twilight. There is an ancient legend in my Realm about a Hero of Light and Shadow. It goes that one man would show such unimaginable power that he would command the force of light and shadow against darkness itself, and that he would merge light and shadow to destroy it."

I nodded. "I think I did something like that; the Goddesses told me to unite light and shadow in the Mirror chamber. I did; I used the Shadow, Master Sword and my Triforce, and the power it created rebuilt the Mirror."

Midna's face was one of wonder. "That legend was one I would not believe myself. I thought light and shadow to be too different to mix. They oppose each other."  
"Shadow is just a form of light," I said. "They both oppose darkness. They can co-exist." I realised the double meaning of her words and mine; the analogy was perfect.

Midna caught it too. She smiled. "This could be key, Link. Light and Shadow can destroy Darkness forever. We've got to work out how. We've got to see Zelda; I'll need to get into the castle library. This will need some research."

"And I bet she'd love to see you again," I beamed.

"Well, when you're so unforgettable like me," she said with that smile. She looked up at the window and froze; I followed her gaze. The Sun had long since set; the night was drawing in.

(~^~)

It scared me, looking out of that window. I saw the light disappear again, darkness roaming slowly over the land. And though I knew it was night, not Nothingness, it didn't stop me reliving the moment.

The moment I felt pure fear cleave through my insides like a dagger made of ice.

When I felt all heat leave the world.

When I felt like the world was ending.

I sat there, frozen, unable to move as I watched the darkness grow. Had there been no stars or moon, I felt I would have panicked. But Link was with me. I felt a warm hand take mine again, and it broke my trance. I looked back to see Link, the lantern burning beside us giving light all around us. I knew then that as long as I was with him, I would be safe. He was my light, my opposite. Everything I wasn't. He completed me, as I completed him.

"Well, we can't go now," Link said.

Go where? Er, oh right! Hyrule!

"No… we'll need to wait until morning. Is Renado going to mind us staying another night?"

"I doubt it. I think he's even making us some food."

At that, my stomach suddenly made its presence known. It grumbled, almost yelling at me to say it felt hunger. A great deal of it. Well, if what Link said was right, I hadn't eaten for two days, at least; probably closer to three when what happened in the Twilight Realm was factored in. "Fantastic! I'm starving!"

"Thought you would be; you always did have quite an appetite!" Link said.

I grinned.

As if on cue, Renado appeared with a tray of bowls. "Ah, our patient is awake! My lady," he said, bowing slightly to Midna whilst holding the tray still.

"Thank you Renado, for all you have done for me," I said sincerely. "I probably owe you my life for your kindness."

He raised his head. "In all fairness, it was Link's potion that healed you, Princess. I merely gave you both a safe place to heal." He lowered his head again.

"Rise, kind sir. You have no need to bow to me." He stood up. "You opened your home to us, and for that alone you deserve all my gratitude," I insisted.

"You are welcome. My home is open for anyone in their time of need."

"And you aided me in mine, and for this I will grant you whatever you wish."

"I wish nothing, your majesty. Your wellbeing is all I care about. Would you care for some food?"

"Please!" I said eagerly.

Renado gave me a warming look and placed the tray on the table; it held two bowls of steaming stew. "Roast Cucco broth. My daughter Luda has made it to her mother's recipe. I hope you enjoy it!"

At this stage, I was hungry enough to eat the Cucco whole, feathers and all. Flavour would just make things better!

"Will you be staying another night?" Renado asked.

"Just one more, then you can have your house back," Link grinned.

"No hurry, especially for a Princess. I bid you good night and will see you tomorrow." He withdrew silently and vanished again.

"Yeesh, where does he go?" Link said quietly. "I mean, his house is one big room!"

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say there were a few Twili rooms around here," I grinned, moving the Shadow off my lap and lifting the bowl with my hands; though it would have been easier to levitate it, it was considered impolite in the Twilight to use magic around food. A fork was already in the broth, so I speared a chunk of meat and vegetables and ate gladly. It was a warming meal, very rich in flavour, and very filling. It only took a few mouthfuls before my stomach ceased complaining and simply requested more. It was definitely a nice recipe, even better than Yeto's soup, which Link had let me have some of while Yeto wasn't looking. And that soup had been pretty good!

(~^~)

I watched her shovel fork after fork of the broth into her mouth as if she hadn't eaten in a week. Granted, it had been at least two days, but still, I hoped she wouldn't end up with indigestion. After all, she'd just recovered from a pretty serious attack; to be laid out again for something simple would just be ironic.

I ate at a more controlled pace. Luda certainly could cook – it was a very nice dish. I didn't know how it compared to food in the Twilight Realm, but Midna always seemed to eat Light food like it was her last meal!

"Slow down or you'll burst!" I laughed as she neared the bottom of the bowl.

She paused long enough to say, "Food here is WAY better than back home! The Sun gives everything much more flavour!" before downing most of the remaining broth in one.

Well, that made sense; plants needed the Sun to grow. Maybe they had magic that did the same in the Twilight, but I could already tell it wouldn't be the same. I could safely take Midna's word on that one.

She finished her last mouthful and said, "Goddesses, I'm full!"

"Usually takes you three helpings to say that," I laughed.

"Three helpings of your idea of food!" She retorted. "Bread and cheese? And that torture you call cooking? Ha, I'm lucky to be alive!"

I couldn't deny she was right; my cooking skills were far from commendable. Ilia had taught me some simple recipes and some harder ones; OK, the simple ones were fine, but I'd tried to impress Midna with one of the harder dishes one time in town, and the end result looked like I'd dipped it in Death Mountain lava. Suffice to say, we quickly found an inn serving food.

Having finished the meal, I replaced our bowls on the tray and placed the tray on the floor. I'd wash them tomorrow morning.

I could tell it had gotten quite late; the season had changed and it was now nearing winter, and we had been talking for so long that the Sun had set hours ago. I nearly laughed; it felt like I'd said more to her today than in the entire month we'd travelled together!

Midna yawned, stretched a little and settled herself back onto her makeshift bed, moving the Shadow beside her pillow. I went to the side of the room, to the blankets and sheets Renado had left on the ledge near the table for me. I arranged these into a similar bed.

"Link…"

I turned.

Midna looked embarrassed as she thought about what she was going to say. "Could you maybe… pull the table closer to you?"

I gave a small smile and immediately pulled the table as close to the ledge as I could. I knew she didn't feel safe in the darkness, especially if there was no-one near her. I pulled off my cap and climbed into bed; it wasn't very comfortable, but it was only for one night. I looked back at Midna, whispered "good night" to her and lowered my head to the pillow. I didn't blow the lantern out; it would burn softly for several hours, keeping the darkness at bay around us. I was the more tired of us; I'd been awake since the incident in the Mirror Chamber to make sure she was OK. Now I could rest easy.

And I did.

I'd had regular nightmares about the mirror shattering, its cracks spreading out into the entire world, destroying everything and everyone I knew. I took it as symbolic; I really had felt like part of me had died that day. I'd relived that moments so many times I came to regard sleep as curse for weeks.

The nightmares had eventually subsided to be replaced by memories of our quest, but they were hollow dreams; if I remembered them when I woke up, they would haunt me for the rest of the day. So, when I had finally repressed the memories for my own protection, my dreams were dull and uninspiring, just like my life after her. Sleeping, just like living, was a chore.

But now she was back. Now she slept next to me and all those memories were back with her. My dreams recounted the happiest moments of our quest, and sleep became rewarding again. I would sleep better from now on.

*

(~^~)

When I awoke the next morning, I had finally achieved a decent night's sleep. My nights were so often plagued by retellings of my encounter with Zant. And it felt so real… to come so close to death, to feel as if one more step is all it takes to cross over… So often had I awoken in a cold sweat, nearly screaming as my world faded to black, that I had enchanted the door to my room to block sound, to make sure a worried servant wouldn't rush to my aid.

But that night, I didn't really dream. My body still needed to recover, so I spent more time doing that than watching my memories and imagination at play. Any dreams I had, I didn't remember. All I cared was that I felt refreshed and ready to face the world again.

The daunting task suddenly became apparent. The evil… creature… was still at large, had dominated my home and twisted everyone I cared about. Well, almost everyone.

When I thought of Link, suddenly the colossal task shrank. His abilities truly were unbelievable to those who had not seen him in action; his energy seemed limitless, and with a goal in his mind, he would not cease until he had achieved it. I just felt that, now we were reunited, we could overcome this. We would set the world right, and be happy for the rest of our lives.

Speaking of whom, where was he?

(~^~)

When I went out to wash the bowls from the night before, I finally found out where Renado went; he had stayed at the inn. He and Luda often helped out there, so the landlord allowed them the occasional stay for free. Added to, Luda was good friends with the cook and was learning from him, so she had use of the kitchen when she wanted. I had to admit, it was easier than setting up Renado's foldaway kitchen in his home.

When I returned, I found Midna was finally awake. I had risen quietly so as not to disturb her; she needed her rest. The lantern had burned out but the Sun was rising. And now, light flooded into the room. Another new day.

"Morning sleepyhead," I said happily. "Sleep well?"

She yawned and stretched her arms. "Yeah, much better than usual. How long have you been up?"

"About an hour, I guess."

She looked at the level of the Sun through the window. "Yeesh, how do you do that, Link? It'd kill me to get up so early!"

"It's something you get used to, working on a ranch!"

"I guess because royalty have no need to tend the animals…" She said, yawning as she trailed off. She suddenly looked at me. "Well, maybe one animal," she grinned.

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, well, ready to get going?"

"Just a moment…" She stretched her arms, legs and back impressively. Her imp form was quite flexible. She picked up the helmet and donned it. She blinked a few times, then sighed. "OK."

I looked her for a few moments. _She was back!_ The little imp who'd chastised me, insulted me, made me her little servant. At the same time, the one who was so complex her reasons for being such a wicked person made such perfect sense. This was the person who, against all odds, I'd fallen so deeply for.

Midna caught me looking at her. "What?" She asked.

"Now THERE'S someone I haven't seen in a long time!" I laughed.

She smiled, pushed the blanket away, tested her legs and rocked herself to her feet. She was a little unsteady for a moment; her legs were probably still sore. I held out my arm for her to lean on; she took it for that second or so until she had her balance. After that, it didn't matter; she summoned her magic and floated into the air.

At that moment, with his usual excellent timing, Renado appeared in the doorway. "Princess, Link, I see you are ready to depart."

"Do you want me to clear away the table and sheets?" I offered.

"No, no, the sheets need to be washed and we have plenty of other washing to do. Leave it to us," he said kindly.

He seemed completely unfazed by the fact that Midna was hovering above the ground. Either he'd seen it all before, or had got the gist of her powers from my conversations with him. Midna floated towards him, holding out her hand to shake it. Renado took it, initially unsure of whether to shake or bow before her, though her gaze seemed to sway him against the latter. He shook her hand as she spoke, "I truly do owe you for this, Renado. Are you sure there is nothing you wish?"

"Nothing at all."

"If at any time there is anything I can do to repay you, let me know," she offered.

"Perhaps. Maybe when I move house, your ability to levitate may be of use!" He grinned.

I gathered my things, pulling on my cap and stowing the empty lantern in the pack. I came to stand beside her and shook Renado's hand as well.

"Link old friend, you are always welcome here. Drop by for a visit if you're in the area!"

"Indeed we will. Thanks, Renado!"

He stepped out of the doorway and we left the house, turning to wave as he entered it.

When we were out of earshot, Midna said to me, "Must have cost him something, all that food…"

"He probably isn't too rich either," I suggested.

Midna lowered her head as she floated forwards and I heard her mutter a strange sentence. I couldn't place the language – magic, perhaps?

"What did you say?"

"Oh, a simple charm. I just turned every Rupee he owned to Silver."

I had to hand it to Midna, she could be kind when she wanted to be. Those rare occasions…

"Now, to Hyrule." She said brightly, facing the Sun.

"The old-fashioned way, or the quick way?" I said, spinning the horse-call necklace around my fingers.

"Let's see if you really can warp, wolf-boy," she cackled, giving me that familiar smile. "Let me have the crystal."

I returned a grin of similar design. "I don't think you'll ever need that again," I said. Making sure the coast was clear, I thought the word.

Midna watched in awe as I morphed myself. I fell to all four paws and looked up at her.

She cackled again and asked me, "Well what do you need me for now?"

I smiled as best a wolf could. And then growled as a weight landed heavily on my back. She'd done a midair flip onto my back and landed right in that spot again, hard. Before I could complain, she removed the pack from me and hid it in her Twili pockets.

"OK Wolfy, show me what you can do!"

Just like old times.

I hadn't tried this with someone else wearing the Shadow before, but I reached out with my mind. I could feel the Shadow magic flowing around Midna, and when it sensed me, it flowed over to me too. I felt the power circling us and thought of Hyrule Castle, the west gate entrance. The Shadow supplied more power than I was used to, but I could control it. It needed extra magic to warp two people. The Triforce kept the image of the Castle set; momentarily, I felt my body break into pieces and we flew into the void.

*

"Well, I'll say this much: you need to practise!" Midna said teasingly as we reformed on Death Mountain. "Your landing's a bit rough, too. Let me drive!"

I rolled my eyes as we dissolved into black again.

*

With her usual precision, I appeared first under the warp portal, to be joined seconds later by an imp landing heavily on my back. I didn't bother growling at her this time; uncountable times before hadn't changed her. I looked her in the eye and nodded; she dismounted me and floated up to roughly my eye level. I morphed myself back to two legs with Midna at my side.

"I guess I need to jump back in your shadow," she said heavily.

"No, everything's calmed down now and without you, this land would still be bathed in Twilight. You can stop hiding," I said hopefully.

"You really think they could stand the sight of a hideous little imp?"

"One, you're not hideous, two," I smiled, "you don't LOOK as dangerous as you are!

Midna gave me that wicked gaze that I loved. "You're definitely right about the second one, Wolfy. Though I have to wonder – how do you tell people that your _girlfriend_ is floating five feet off the ground and is one-quarter your size?" She laughed.

I laughed too. My _girlfriend?_ Yikes, _that_ would take some time to set in! "Well, I'll just tell anyone who asks that you're my pet!"

She swiped playfully at me. "Slow down, buster! **You're** _my_ pet! Who's a good wolf?" She stroked my head and gave me a toothy grin.

I returned the look with a put-on animal snarl.

"Touchy!" She laughed. "OK, let's go. First hint of trouble though, I'm warping out of here."

"Given how we worked together," I responded, as we started towards the castle, "I'll have changed form and be warping at the same time!"

"Ha, so _before_the first hint of trouble? You gained foresight in your time here?"

"I'm sure the Shadow could manage that," I said, with a glance at her helmet.

Midna jumped on the subject. "So, what parts of the Shadow can you use?"

"Oh not much, levitation, warping, hawk-eye sight, oh and it talks to me sometimes."

Midna rolled her eyes. "It's never been one for conversation even when you master it."

"Did you really think it couldn't be rebuilt?"

"Yes, Link. The Shadows have limits when they're separated. I can't remember what happened after I warped you away, and it's probably best it stays that way. So I don't know how I lost the power of the Shadow. But it takes great power to unite them alone. It was the limit of my magic in this form to harness them. I didn't think you even had your own magic, let alone enough of it to command the Shadow's power!"

"I only noticed it recently. The Triforce is pretty potent by itself – it gives me focus and stamina, and heals me fast."

"I guess it was only meant to help you in battle. I'm impressed you managed to harness the light behind it."

"Even I'm amazed at what I can do sometimes!"

"Dear dear, is that _pride_ I detect, Hero?"

"Hey, I think I have a right to say it!" I was all for continuing, but we had reached the gate itself after the slow walk from the portal. Midna looked at me, uncertain.

"You'll be fine. I promise, nothing bad will happen. You've got as much right to be here as me."

I took her hand and we walked (well, I walked and she floated) through the gates.

(~^~)

"_You… love me?"_

Those words sounded so alien, even in my own voice. They were contradictory – so wrong, yet so right. They were the words I had feared and longed to hear. It wasn't just me who felt strongly for him; he _returned_ those feelings. I could see it on his face, hear it in his voice…

I _felt_ it when I looked into his eyes. Had I been my true self, I could have passed it off as a teenager lusting after my looks. But for him to confess when I lay before him as a ghastly, tiny imp…?

It could mean he had taken a serious blow to the head, which given his path in life, wasn't actually that improbable.

Or, it could mean he was serious. He loved me as I loved him. The most unlikely of all attractions, following through to the most natural feelings of all. That's why I looked away. I couldn't believe it was true. I had imagined a moment like this to try and justify my actions; he would say it, but there would be an edge to his voice, and I would so easily (and sometimes cruelly) put him down. He'd run away, but would eventually accept he didn't really mean what he said.

But when I heard Link tell me straight out what I had rehearsed in my head so many times, there was no edge, no ulterior force in his voice. It was truth, plain and simple. He'd placed his heart before me.

And try as I did to convince myself he didn't mean it, I couldn't go through with those lines I had prepared, the ones that would bring things back to normal.

I knew now, I'd broken his heart once, and badly. He might not have said it, but the way he confessed his emptiness after I… _did that_… I knew exactly what he meant. Gods, I felt the same; for months I had felt that empty space in my chest and my mind. I'd tried to fill it with my duty to my people, but it remained. And now, it was gone.

If I shot him down now, I would not only ruin what was a genuine chance, but it would come close to killing him and would probably be the worst thing I would ever remember doing; something that would haunt me for the rest of my days.

I couldn't do that to him. Not again.

So I vowed to myself I wouldn't.

Which meant there was only one course of action. The right one for both of us

I looked straight into those eyes, seeing a sparkling energy dance within them. Those eyes that hardened as cold as steel whenever he needed to resort to violence, yet would turn soft and warm the instant they looked at me.

How could I have denied myself this?

I stumbled through my defence, trying to make myself feel better about what I did. It hurt me, thinking about what I did. He didn't deserve what he got months ago. That little voice was right; I'd used him and cast him away. I would not do that again. Now, I knew what the stakes were.

I felt that same choking feeling I got the first time I'd tried to say them, before my mind convinced me to choose differently. But now, I pushed through it. My heart had been right all along. I said those words that had been bouncing through my mind for months.

They hung heavy in the air for moments as I let Link's words sink into me. And when they finally did, I felt the most beautiful moment of my life begin. Who cared about the world? My world was with him, now.

Even without my abilities, that moment was truly magical.

*

And now here we were, walking together into Castle Town. I had no idea what we would face here; I'd never worried about it before. Months ago, when I last came here, I could simply dive into the nearest shadow and disappear. No-one could see me or touch me. In hindsight, it was probably a bit cruel, running away to leave Link to face everything. Though it was justified; I didn't know how this realm worked, and really I was somewhat nervous about the reactions of the Light Dwellers; I knew well that people fear what they do not understand. And though the explanation was fairly simple, firstly I didn't want to go through it a hundred times, and secondly some people still wouldn't understand.

Fear can be a powerful ally, or a powerful enemy. To me, it was a friend. It kept me safe, told me my limits and told me when to run. To others, it ruled them, told them to destroy what they feared and to never try to understand it.

And to be perfectly honest, I could sense at least one of those kinds of people in the eyes staring at me as we walked along the west road. I guess my floating through the air wasn't exactly discreet. I changed tactics, floated over to link and sat on his shoulder.

"What's wrong with the air?" Link teased.

"Requires effort," I grinned. "Really, I think the whole floating-imp look attracts too much attention."

I settled onto his shoulder, holding it and his head to keep me steady. I looked around the town; I'd never properly looked at it, even when Link came here as a wolf. When I'd ridden him through here in the past, everything had been a blur because of how fast he ran! But now I got to see how everyday life in the light world went by. People hustled and bustled around stalls, arguing with sellers about prices. It seemed prices were rising on everything. Something similar had happened back in the Twilight Realm; people who lost things in Zant's tirade suddenly upped their prices on everything they could to try and make it up. It had taken much careful negotiation to bring things anywhere near normal. But now, that was the least of my worries.

We passed the charred remains of a building, which Link paused at for a few seconds with a heavy gaze, but he swiftly continued. I could tell he didn't want to talk about it, so I didn't press the matter.

When we reached the gates up to the castle, I saw two guards flanking it. They turned to look at us, taking in every detail about Link and me. We met with no objections; they both bowed to us and beckoned us to pass.

A guard with a blue armband met us; Link told him he wished to see the Princess. The guard told us she had just returned from the town, where a man named Orlon lay injured in the doctor's house. I watched Link's expression turn to relief as the guard added that Orlon, whoever he was, had pulled through. However, the Princess was under a great deal of stress as a result and had retreated to the safety of her room. The guard gave Link the option of an escort, but Link thanked him and said it wasn't necessary. The guard eyed me suspiciously as we went; as he turned away from me, I stuck my tongue out at him.

Link knew where he was going, and the route was familiar to me; I remembered guiding Link up to Zelda's room the first time we met, and we'd gone the same way after facing Zant…

Although the memories of that event were still fresh in my mind, so was our first meeting, and I had a wicked idea. Before we reached Zelda's door, I whispered it in his ear. He turned to me to show the biggest, most mischievous grin I'd seen yet – it rivalled mine!

"Midna, you little demon, you!" He cackled quietly, making sure the person on the other side of the door couldn't hear. "That is cruel and unnecessary! Let's do it!"

(~^~)

I heard my door pushed open. Usually, people knocked first.

I wheeled around to give the intruder a piece of my mind.

There wasn't one.

At least, not one I could see.

As I watched the door swing wider, it occurred to me to look down.

I froze.

A grey-green wolf with a small black-and-grey imp riding it strode confidently into my room and looked at me. If I didn't know any better, I'd swear it was grinning. The imp certainly was.

"Okay," I said brightly, my face breaking into a smile of madness. I struggled not to laugh. "Well, that's it! I've gone crazy!! Hahaha!" I burst out laughing and collapsed on my bed, passing out from the absurdity of the event that my mind clearly couldn't cope with.

* * *

Yep, old playful, sarcastic, occassionally-downright-cruel Midna is back! Sorry if the last bit goes a little fast; this chapter was getting too long! I average ten pages in Word per chapter; this was 13!  
On an unrelated note, the Twili use metal currency for an unknown reason...  
This chapter's probably my favourite, even though the confession scene is a bit clichéd; it's the first time I've written one, but I'm pleased with it.  
As stated above, I'm going to need some time to work out what happens next, so the next update won't be for a while - sorry if you thought it was going to be a regular thing! It was a one-off as I had 5 chapters in a row written and ready!  
Until next time, R&R please! Sorry there's no incentive this time, but hey, I appreciate it!  
**Update**  
I'm curious how people would react to Midna returning to the level of sarcasm and playfulness she used to be at, only now she's joking with her love. Her current level comes after the confession above. There's a poll on my profile; if a few people could vote, it'd help me shape the next chapter, because whilst I could have a lot of fun with Link and Midna verbally sparring, I'm curious to know if that would make sense to everyone. The question is 'should Midna tone down the sarcasm and mischief having both confessed their mutual love?' (Words to that effect, in reality) Three options: yes, no, and 'there needs to be more!' All votes appreciated!


	21. Chapter 18: Light and Shadow

Thanks for the ton of reviews I got for the last chapter! Really appreciate it! I'd name everyone, but there's so many! I'm glad to see classic Midna is okay with everyone (that poll will be taken down momentarily). And I'm also glad to see that bringing back the King of Evil has grabbed everyone's attention! I felt that he was kinda shoehorned into the game; you spend three-quarters of it going after Zant and then find it's been Ganondorf all along! So, this fic'll be his moment to shine :)  
Right, well, this has been in the works for a while; sorry it's taken so long, writing history is not something that comes naturally to me! Onto that subject, the last thing I will ever do is write a history book! I'm not totally convinced by my style, especially as the amount of detail I needed to put in necessitated first-person which, to me, didn't mesh as well as I wanted with the history text.  
It's a long chapter because of the amount of detail about the past I needed. It's been through the blender A LOT, so I hope it flows as well as I intended. Again, it could take me quite some time to finish the next chapter; I had a workable draft but it needs some revision and is too short to be a chapter on its own.  
Edit 23/04/2012 11:59PM: yep, I'm still working on this story! I just discovered the Export function, which is going to make smoothing my old flaws out MUCH less daunting! Removed some very dodgy phrasing I'd been wanting to for over a year.  
Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 18  
Light and Shadow

"_He loves you; you know that, right?" I said._

_She turned her head away, avoiding my eyes. She gave a quiet sigh and spoke, "Yes, and I think I love him, too. I'd never thought it would happen. We're so different…"_

"_They say those with the least in common make the best of pairings," I said hopefully._

"_It's not that, Zelda. We're of two different realms, two different peoples… It won't last, I know it. Something will stop us. Or, something will spark hatred of us that will lead to unrest for both worlds."_

"_What are you saying, Midna?"_

_She was silent for a moment, checking she was out of earshot of Link. She made sure the door to the room was closed. "I have to break the Mirror."_

_My mouth fell open._

"_It's the only way," she said, but her voice sounded distant to me._

_I shook my head as I gathered my thoughts. "Midna, you can't! It's the only way into the Twilight!"_

"_And that's why it must be destroyed! What if we face another Zant, or if a different tyrant attacks Hyrule? If the Mirror is intact, such an event will spill into the other realm as surely as it did the last time. He's taught me that to protect one world is impossible without protecting the other. You must understand this."_

"_And what will you do if you face another enemy like Zant? You'll be cut off from help; it took a light-dweller to defeat Ganondorf after all!"_

_Midna shot me a warning glance. "What happens in my kingdom is my own business, but I know you will understand. We will manage. It was only because Ganondorf was a light-dweller too that I needed Link, though I didn't know it." She paused, thinking heavily. "And I'm sure the rest of my people won't be pleased to learn the light-dwellers can come freely to our realm while they cannot do the same to here. Some are probably still bitter that the ancient light-dwellers banished us in the first place. It's a powder keg, Zelda. It would take one spark to set off a tragic event. And I fear Link could be that spark." She dropped her gaze to the floor. "What if one of those who truly hated the light chose to attack Link? I know he wouldn't kill a Twili, knowing now what they are. All it would take is one lucky shot… Link could be the first to fall in a war with the light realm. If enough were set in their minds, I couldn't hold them back."_

_I let my breath out in a pained sigh. She was completely right. "Do you know what it'll do to him?" I asked dangerously, motioning to the door._

"_I don't want to imagine."_

"_Well, you should," I said, some bitterness in my voice. "I can see it in his eyes whenever he looks at you. It's love, pure and simple, but he doesn't know if it is. You go through with this without telling him first, you'll destroy him."_

_Her gaze became heavy again. "It could destroy him to tell him, too. What would he think of it? After all I've put him through… I just don't know how he'll react. Please, Zelda, please don't tell him."_

_I sighed and paused a moment. "Very well, I won't tell Link what you plan on one condition. And that condition is, you must tell him how you feel. Let him know that it's love. If you won't be swayed in your intentions, it might help the pair of you to heal if you both know where you stand."_

_Her eyes fell in sadness. "You speak from experience?"_

"_No, only from wisdom of ages passed. But it has guided me well."_

_She looked at the door. A tear fell from her cheek. She scooped it onto her finger and looked at it for a moment, watching it glitter in the light. "All right, Zelda." Then her eyes changed, as if she had an idea…_

When I awoke, I was lying on my bed. Memories flickered around my mind; I remembered that conversation with Midna, and then the first time I'd met Link as a wolf. Well, the memories were connected in a way.

I became aware that I wasn't alone. Probably the way someone with a deep, masculine voice called my name. "Zelda, are you all right?"

I knew that voice. It was Link.

I rolled over and met his eyes. "Link… what are you doing here?"

His eyes seemed to search the room for the answer. "Oh nothing, just… dropping by to say I've completed my quest."

My face turned to suspicion. "And in truth?"

I then became aware of a third eye, just over Link's shoulder. It was paired with one made of stone. Above them, a pair of horns rose level with Link's cap.

Oh no.

"Please tell me I'm still asleep and that is not who I think that is," I begged weakly.

He glanced over his shoulder, shot the eyes a look that seemed to say, 'not now!' and turned back to me. "Erm, I guess there are a few questions that need answering…"

"That would just so happen to be the understatement of the year," I confirmed.

"How does that stand with, 'this land goes straight from strange to stranger?'" Cackled a third voice. One I knew quite well.

It was _her_.

"Well, go ahead and show yourself, Midna. At this stage, I don't think _anything_ could significantly shock me."

Midna moved beside Link.

I recoiled in shock, nearly falling off the bed.

"Famous last words, Princess," the floating imp said idly, checking the nails of her left hand.

"But- but- you're an imp again!"

"Thank you, Captain Obvious," she said, not looking up.

I gripped the sheets for support, both to stop myself falling backwards, and as some anchor in the real world. "Link… some answers would be quite welcome right around now…"

(~^~)

"…and **that** was her idea!" I finished.

The imp rolled her eyes. "Oh please, it was _definitely_ yours!"

"Take note, Midna," I laughed, giving her the look of a hungry puppy. "How could you doubt a face like this?"

"Hey! Unfair advantage!" Midna growled. I grinned wider.

Zelda held a hand to her temple. Her Triforce was glowing slightly. "You know, this is hard enough to understand without you two bantering with each other," she said in frustration. "Please let me check I know the facts."

"Shoot," Midna said.

"First, Link, you went to Arylus, stopped Dalné from invading, saved Orlon's life and found the mythical World's Point."

"Yep," I replied immediately.

"Next, you met all three Goddesses on a golden Triforce _in the sky_, and the spirit of the Hero of Time joined you."

"That's right."

"They told you to unite light and shadow in the Mirror Chamber, which you did and you overcame Midna's magic to rebuild the Mirror."

"Pretty much."

"At the same time, Ganondorf's spirit was in the Twilight Realm, where he gained himself a body and covered the land in pure darkness."

"Correct," Midna took over.

"You turned yourself back into an imp to avoid him."

"Yes."

"And somehow, managed to be in the right place at the right time to escape and meet, at which time you finally confess you love each other?"

We both nodded together.

Zelda looked at both of us. "You two are without doubt the strangest pair of people I have ever met," she said flatly. She shook her head and lay back on her bed, her hands covering her eyes as she muttered to herself.

I looked at Midna with a grin.

"When you hear it like that, it does sound a little…" I searched for the word.

"Impressive?" Midna offered.

"Unbelievable?" I tried.

"Mad!" Zelda suggested, the word muffled by her hands. "For the sake of everyone, don't _ever_ try and reproduce! This world couldn't cope with any more..."

Midna gave me the evil smile that often worried me. Her look said, 'no promises!'

"Back on the task at hand," I suggested.

"Oh yes, what's the legendary quest this time?" Zelda said sarcastically. "Oh right, Link's now the master of Light and Shadow."

"Yep, that one," Midna said casually.

Zelda gave a frustrated pause. "I feel like I'm going to get a migraine if I think on this too much, so Midna, take whatever you need from the castle library. Link, tell Pellen I give you permission and he'll let you in."

"Aren't you coming?" I asked.

"Right now, I think I need a long sleep. Maybe I'll wake up and realise the stress of rebuilding Hyrule has made me imagine all this." With that, she fell back on her bed, fully clothed, and wrapped her arm across her face.

"Okay, I guess we'd better," I said to Midna.

She nodded and we both left the room. Pellen approached us almost instantly.

"Pellen, Princess Zelda has given us permission to use the Castle library. Could you take us there?" I asked.

"At once, young sir. Though may I enquire as to who your companion is?" Pellen replied, indicating the floating imp.

"Name's Midna," she said casually. I saw Pellen extend a hand to her to shake.

I should have expected this from her. Without warning, she closed her eyes, and with a rush of Shadow magic, her hair-hand flew out of her head to shake Pellen's. The guard froze in shock as the magic hand shook his gently. "Princess of the Twilight Realm. Pleased to meet you," she cackled. Pellen nodded distantly.

I let out a sigh in Midna's direction, trying to suppress the laugh before turning to the petrified guard. "She's pretty harmless, usually. Now, where's the library?" I tried to snap the guard back to reality.

"…oh yes! Right! The- the library!" He stuttered, his eyes wide. He turned and almost ran away from us. I had to jog to catch up.

As we were catching up with him, I smiled at Midna and said quietly, "You know, you should really try subtlety once in a while. Scaring the lives out of people who are a little on edge might not be the best approach here."

The imp flashed me a grin, but added, "Okay, you're right. Just that humans are really fun to mess with!"

I rolled my eyes. She had a point; it was far too easy, but there was a time and place…

Falling into (fast) step behind Pellen, we reached the library door; Pellen unlocked it, swung the door open and ran away very quickly.

"Well, this isn't exactly what I had in mind," Midna said, unimpressed.

I had to agree. The library was a large room, recently completed, and not unlike the library in Arylus, with shelves filled with books and tables to read them on. However, here, books were scattered across the shelves and floor, and as if that wasn't bad enough, some of the books looked worse for wear than my Ordon clothes. Everywhere I looked, I saw volumes with chunks taken out of the covers, charred pages and even books ripped in half. This wasn't a library. It seemed to be a mass grave of paper.

"Would I be correct in assuming that little incident between you and Ganondorf had something to do with this?" I asked cautiously.

Her teeth came together in rage when I mentioned his name. "Gah! We levelled the whole tower, didn't we?" She cried, raising a hand over her eyes and lowering her head as she spoke. She thought for a moment. "Maybe there's something useful still here."

We searched through the ruined books for hours; a different guard brought us a meal at lunchtime on behalf of Pellen, who was apparently not feeling well. Zelda herself had sent us lunch, as she was visiting Orlon.

The search was tedious and fruitless. Occasionally we'd come across a page or two on ancient Hylian legends, but much to our frustration, either it was one page that had flown free of the rest of the book, or there was a neat hole blasted through the part we needed to see.

Midna finally threw the half-book she was struggling with across the room. "Gods-damn it! This is useless!"

"Please don't damage the books more than they already are." Came a familiar, soft voice. Our heads snapped up to the door. A weary-looking Zelda stood in the doorway. "Looks like I'm not crazy after all," she said with a sigh. "For once, I'm not sure which option is worse, that I'm truly mad and you're not really here, or that my eyes do not deceive me and both Hyrule is still fragile, and the Twilight Realm is in peril."

Midna's face and mine quickly fell.

"For now," Zelda resumed, not an ounce of amusement in her voice, "I'm going to assume my mind hasn't fallen apart and give you some help."

It occurred to me that, with her love for knowledge, Zelda would know more about the library (or what was left of it) than anyone. She stepped forwards to where we sat, a table in the middle of the room, piles upon piles of books in front of us. I had a heavy tome open before me that was getting me nowhere. Midna's pile of books was much smaller; most of them now littered the floor around her.

"Thanks Zelda," I said gratefully, pulling a chair to the table. She sat on it and looked through the books before her.

"And thank you, Link. Orlon sends you his gratitude. He is recovering slowly from the attack."

"That's great to hear. I was really worried about him."

"He wished to thank you for your aid, but I told him that you did not require it." Truth be told, I was thinking I could stand being the Hero now, but I understood Zelda. "If you wish to see him, I have given him a room in the castle. It also means I can keep watch on him without too much distraction from running the land. Fortunately, today does not truly call for my hand in the events, so I have left my advisors in charge. I trust them."

I nodded in thanks to her, for taking time away from her duties to help us.

"Any hints, Princess?" Midna said, not looking up from the book she was scanning through.

"You have found nothing useful so far?" She confirmed, reading the titles of the books we hadn't yet checked.

"No; most of them were too damaged to get anything useful out of them," I said heavily.

She checked the last book and shook her head. "If you have found nothing on the ancient legends so far, these books won't give you answers." She held up a history of the castle. "You're fishing too far from the group," she told me. "If what Midna told me is correct, the legend of the Hero of Light and Shadow pre-dates even the oldest texts here. Most do not stretch past the Civil War."

Midna looked up from the book, her face one of acceptance. "Damn," she sighed. "But I felt so sure… It's got to be the answer."

"There are a few tomes kept in the vaults below the castle," Zelda suggested. We both looked at her, asking her to continue. "They are very, very old, though. I do not believe they can be read, though if it is key to the salvation of the Twili, I will try my best."

"Let's go see," I said, rising from my chair. Zelda stood as well.

"Under normal circumstances, only Royals are permitted in the vaults. However, I doubt anyone will object to you accompanying me." She looked at me with a faint smile. "Besides, they are very heavy."

I groaned as Midna laughed.

Zelda led us down to the ground floor of the castle. She approached a guarded door, and with only a nod, the soldier protecting it unlocked it and permitted us to pass, though I caught him giving Midna a strange look. I frowned at him, and he snapped to attention.

Zelda took a torch from the wall, and before she could fish out a flint or I could get my lantern to light it, Midna idly flicked a spark of magic into the soaked material, setting it on fire in an instant and nearly singeing my hair. The flames glowed purple for a moment before they cast out orange light.

We proceeded down the dark corridor that sloped into the ground, deep into the castle's foundations. I recalled running through the foundations before, using the waterways to get Midna help…

Zelda took turns seemingly randomly as the corridor reached flat ground. I'd come up against some confusing places before, but even I'd get lost here; every wall and door was identical. It was a maze, probably designed to lose a potential thief. And it was effective. Soon, I couldn't even tell if we were still in Hyrule.

However, our guide knew where she was going, and eventually stopped outside a door. She drew a key from her waist and unlocked it. Before she opened the door, she gave us a warning look and said, "Many of the objects in here are fragile and irreplaceable. For your own sakes, don't touch anything in here unless I say so."

"Okay," I nodded.

Midna grabbed both hands behind her back. "Right."

Zelda opened the door.

The vault wasn't actually as impressive as I was expecting. It was pretty empty, in all honesty. There was a rack of books on one wall, a couple of tables on the opposite side, and a few objects strewn across the floor. The whole room wasn't very big, either.

"As you might have guessed," Zelda said, "this isn't the only vault. However, this is the driest one, so we store the more sensitive items here."

That would explain it.

Zelda walked over to the bookshelves and began to search their titles. I wandered to the centre of the room as Midna floated over the tables. In the centre, I saw several plates of armour and elegant swords, all inlaid with jewels and precious metals. They weren't like the Master Sword, which although ancient, had a perfect blade; all of the weapons showed signs of their use. The armour was battered and chipped. "What's with these?" I asked out of curiosity.

Zelda didn't turn around. "Everything in here has its own story, Link, and most are quite long. Probably best you just leave them be."

"What's this?" Midna asked, though I think she was asking me more, because when I looked up, I felt an urge to rush over there. I crossed over to her and gazed at the object.

"No way," I said.

Midna had indicated a tiny object, no bigger than my clenched fist. It was nondescript and innocent-looking, and had many holes all over it.

"Zelda… is this…" I started.

Zelda seemed to have gotten quite frustrated with our questions because her head suddenly appeared over my shoulder.

"No, it's not the Ocarina of Time," she said bluntly.

My face fell. It was an ocarina, nonetheless. "So, why keep it?" I said.

"I don't know the reasons for everything down here, and definitely not that one. It's called a 'fairy ocarina,' essentially a child's toy. It's been down here for decades, maybe centuries, and I have no idea why; there's nothing magical about it. And in case you're wondering, the Ocarina of Time isn't here either. No-one knows where it is." She laughed quietly. "Fittingly enough, the instrument itself is lost in time."

I carried on looking across the tables, spotting many assorted relics, some broken, some hopelessly misshapen. Nothing else stood out. Eventually, I heard a footfall behind me and turned to feel a heavy object pressed against my chest. My hands flew up to support it and Zelda let it go. She was right; the book she'd given me was incredibly heavy. I grunted as I took the weight, hearing Zelda take a breath from the effort.

"Think you can manage that?" Midna said in my ear as Zelda heaved a second book on top. It felt like I was holding two blocks of stone, made worse when Zelda slid a third into my arms. I couldn't believe paper weighed so much! I heard Zelda step away from me, and I feared another book was imminent, but she soon said, "Let's go."

I lowered the pile of books so I could see over it, my muscles protesting, and rightly so this time; I wasn't saving people, I was carrying books! I took one awkward step, tripped over a discarded piece of armour and lost my balance.

As I fell forward, I saw the books fly from my grasp and the look of horror on Zelda's face. I couldn't catch them; it was hard enough catching myself as I fell heavily to the ground. My wrists hurt with the impact, and the way I fell twisted my ankle. I winced as I rose, keeping as little pressure on it as I could. What puzzled me was the lack of crashing of ancient paper on stone. I looked up.

All three books simply floated in the air.

I picked myself up as Midna floated slowly over to them, her face set in concentration. As she got close, she threw her arms wide, pulling the books close to her, and then they all vanished.

"Thanks for catching the books before me," I said, grimacing at the pain in my ankle. I'd twisted it badly.

She opened her eyes. "Books don't have the Triforce to heal them," she laughed. "You know, you could have asked – Twili pockets, after all!"

I rolled my eyes. "Thanks, I'll remember that. Look, my ankle hurts a lot. If you two don't mind, I'd prefer to go sit down for a while."

"Of course," Zelda said. She came over to me and let me put my weight on her shoulder. "After all you've been through, taken out by a simple twisted ankle." She said.

I had to smile. It was a stupid thing to happen.

She guided me out of the dungeons of the castle and into a waiting room for nobles and other dignitaries. I lay back on the exquisite sofa-bench there and waited for my ankle to heal.

(~^~)

"I have to know what you intend to do," I said as we walked back towards the library.

"Find a way to knock Ganondorf off his pedestal and feed him as many of his fingers and toes as it takes to choke him," Midna said, punching her fist into her other hand.

I stopped. "You know what I mean."

"You mean, after we do the finger-feeding." She sighed, stopped and floated idly towards the wall, as if to rest against it. "Well, I finally told him. We both know where we stand."

"And you're still no better off?" I confirmed.

"You said it'd help us…" She said, though there was no bitterness.

I smiled softly. "You two are unique. Truly. There is no comparison for you. All I can say is, what do you want?"

"To go back to being a princess; my people need a leader-"

I cut her off quietly. "No Midna, that's what you _think_ you want. What do you truly _desire_?"

She turned to face the wall for a few moments. Finally, she spoke slowly, "I want us to be together."

"And why do you feel it won't work?"

"Because it just doesn't seem possible. We're two different _species_, Zelda. As opposite as night and day." She shivered for a moment at that thought. "Ugh, bad example…"

"There is an old expression. 'Love knows no bounds.' The true love that you two feel for each other cannot be justified, will not take notice of the differences between you or be dulled by your thoughts. Pure love cannot be rationalised; it just is."

"But I can't live with that! Goddesses, I don't even _know_ why we love each other."

I gave a warm smile as the imp turned. "Then it is true love, Midna. You love him as a whole; there is no reason for or against. There will be parts of him you like more than others, but you will only ever love the whole."

Her mouth twitched as she stifled a quiet laugh. "Maybe. But how do you know?"

I paused. She had to know. "You weren't there to see him, after what you did," I said sadly. My breaths came heavy and I sighed a lot as I thought. "You remember what I told you? That if you didn't tell him, you'd destroy him?"

Midna hesitated to nod.

"All I can say is, I wish I had been wrong. What you did to him when you left had even me devastated. Here, hold my hands."

(~^~)

I did as Zelda asked, gingerly taking both of her outstretched hands. I felt her right hand grow warm, and suddenly…

Suddenly I saw Link. I searched around myself as I tried to call out to him, but I had no voice.

We were in the Mirror chamber. And then cold swept over me as I realised what was happening.

Zelda had shared her memory with me, and wanted me to watch it. I couldn't look away, but I could close my eyes and the image would vanish. She was right; I had to accept what I'd done. And the only way was to understand it. I opened my eyes and looked at the scene through Zelda's eyes.

As if it had been frozen in time while I had thought, the memory began to unfold. I realised I had just gone through the portal. Although I was quietly pleased I wouldn't have to hear myself say those awful words, it meant I would have to watch my actions afterwards. I grimaced as I saw the Mirror of Twilight shatter with an awful sound, the cracks finally giving way under the force of my enchanted tear. I just couldn't bring myself to say it to him, so I had thought that perhaps my actions could speak for me.

How heartless I had been.

I watched as uncountable numbers of shards exploded outwards, scattering the Mirror to the sands around us. And although the memory had unfrozen, Link hadn't.

He stood there, clad in his pure green tunic, his sword and shield across his back. He didn't move at all. I knew what this was; Link could stand so still as to be a statue if he so chose. His training had taught him how to show no reaction when it called for quiet. But this wasn't quite the same.

His mind had frozen, and without instruction, so had his body.

He was paralysed by his emotional reaction.

His reaction, I realised with a pang of guilt, to what I'd done.

He was silent and still for the longest time, until all of the sparkling pieces of the mirror had sunk into the sand. Then, he fell with them. He crashed to his knees, threw back his head and yelled out…

I heard him yell; Zelda's memory was as clear as crystal. Every second carried his broken emotions to my ears, and it didn't cease when he ran out of breath. He might have known he was almost alone, or maybe he didn't care. Because when he yelled out for the last time, I realised.

This was what a broken heart sounded like.

He fell to his hands and cried for several minutes. Zelda's vision moved closer to Link and I saw her hands rise to comfort him. No words were spoken, but I could feel his tears through Zelda's arms.

And then suddenly it was over, and I stared back at Zelda. I released her hands, noticing her Triforce glowing. She swayed slightly and I flitted over to grab her shoulder. She grabbed the wall for support.

"Nayru, Zelda! Are you all right?"

She took a deep breath. "I should have rested before I did that," she said softly. "I have been under so much stress recently; to channel my memories through the Triforce is very tiring, and I realise I am hardly in the frame of mind to fight it back."

"You didn't need to," I said. "Zelda, I appreciate what you did, but not at the expense of your safety."

"I'll be fine; I just need to sit down for a while."

"Here, I'll help you back to your room."

"That's okay, Midna, I think the Library will be fine. I find the presence of books very relaxing."

She started along the corridor in the direction we had been going. Her steps were slow and calculated and she gradually sped up; I hardly needed to guide her. Not like floating before Link every time he had to leap across a large gap to find footing for him, I smiled.

Zelda made it safely into the library and sat carefully on the chair she had sat on earlier.

"Better?" I said, settling into my chair opposite her.

Zelda held the chair with both hands, but looked up and nodded. "Thanks."

"And thank you," I said solemnly. "You showed me a side of Link I had never seen before. He'd always bottled up his feelings on our quest; I'd never seen him happy or sad. It was like he was emotionally dead."

"I guess Link does that because it drives him," Zelda said, though not certain of how to continue.

"He does," I said, taking over. "I knew he hid his feelings, never letting them get in his way. I guess he bottled them up so much, when I did that, they just all gave way at once." I looked at her. "It was more than a broken heart, wasn't it?"

"With the realisation that you would never come back, and the fact that his role as the Hero was fulfilled, Link went through a complete breakdown," Zelda said quietly. "He was dead to everyone for months. He was left dazed, confused about what he was feeling and overall, empty. You know how you complete him, Midna. Now imagine how he felt without you. There was a void within him, and it nearly consumed him. He convinced himself to leave, to try and make sense of why the events occurred as they did. It gave him something to live for, and then he met the Goddesses and they gave him even more. They gave him you back."

My head fell as she finished. I didn't speak for several moments. "So…" The word hung heavy in the air as I tried to think of a way to continue.

"Yes," Zelda picked up as I trailed off. "Right now, you're the only one he lives for. His past life is gone; he can never go back to it. His life from here depends on you."

I looked up. "I never realised just how much we meant to each other. I always thought he'd get over it."

"Link is such a complex person that even the most mundane things are unpredictable to him."

"I know that now," I said deeply. "If anything, Zelda, I think I know now that any action I take is a risk. I'll have to talk with Link at some point."

Zelda smiled. "I knew I'd get through to you eventually."

I flashed her a quick grin. "You did."

"Now, how about we try to find a way forward?" Zelda suggested.

(~^~)

Midna rose from her seat and levitated the books onto the table as I cleared the piles of newer texts to the sides. She set them down gently and I opened the black leather cover of the first tome.

I could tell this much; the language was ancient. There weren't even words I recognised; the pen strokes were fading and very difficult to read. I focussed my Triforce, though my body complained about my fatigue. I pushed on, trying to gather as much ancient knowledge as I could. But the words would not yield to me. Nothing leapt out at me that I could read. I sighed out the deep breath I had held with the effort. "It's no good," I said. My strength was exhausted, especially given what I had shown Midna. Pushing myself would only make it worse for me. "The text is too old. I could try to rest and attempt again tomorrow. Channelling the knowledge of ancient languages is extremely tiring," I finished.

I leant back in my chair, and then noticed Midna; she was staring intently at the text, and motioned me out of the way. I slid the chair backwards and Midna snapped in front of the book. I stood awkwardly and came to the side of the table to see her eyes darting back and forth across the page.

"_The End of the Age of Darkness,"_ she said slowly. I stood there dumbstruck for a moment. She was reading it!

(~^~)

Zelda looked at me in shock. "How can you know that?" She said.

"It says it right here in black and white," I said flatly.

"No, how can you read that? It must be centuries old, if not older!" She exclaimed.

"Well, the Twilight Realm's a bit behind the times," I grinned. "I mean, we still use magic in everyday life!"

"So, what, this is your native writing?" She queried.

"No, but it is very similar to Twili history texts, and being a Princess requires me to know how to read them," I said, pondering over the marks on the page. "A lot of our magic is written in the same language, too."

"This book must date before the Dark Interlopers," Zelda suggested. I flashed her a look to tell her that was a sore subject.

"Probably about the time we're looking for," I admitted. I read further down. "Any idea who Falrue is?"

"Falrue…" She echoed, thinking. "Yes! She was one of the last of the natural sorceresses of Hyrule. Probably **the** last."

"Before you started relying on the Triforce?" I smiled.

Zelda frowned at me. "I don't rely on it; it focuses my natural abilities, which I will admit are nowhere near as capable as a Sorceress like Falure. The true art of magic was lost some time after her."

"Looks like she had a knack for history as well," I said, scanning down the page. "She's recorded a thousand years of Hyrulean history here."

"The ancient sorcerers were able to extend their lives to many times what we can today, so I think you'll find she lived through all of them. Can you see anything like what we need?" She said.

I checked through Falrue's first page. Unlike modern books, there was no list of the book's chapters, so I assumed Falrue would mention some of the contents in her first words. Ah-ha!

"Yes! She mentions a war between light and darkness!" I said triumphantly. I flicked through the stiff pages, going further into the book. Eventually, after some moments of searching, I arrived. And I began to read the text to Zelda.

"_It is my duty to the ages to chronicle the events that led to the downfall of the great Hylian society. It was a long time in its coming; the distrust and hidden agendas between the tribes threatened time and again to throw the world into endless war._

_To begin at the very start, the tribes were split very cleanly between the races that dominated the land. The tribe of humans was vast, but so thrown around by those who sought different goals that their true potential was never reached._

_We users of magic and possessors of pointed ears named ourselves the Hylians; in tongues of our elders, it meant 'those of high.' The elders often told us our ears were shaped to allow us to hear the words of the Goddesses, though such events were few and far between. By the time we heard their words, everything we had built was about to be torn from us. We were a proud people. Too proud. Our mastery of the magics of the land made us the envy of so many, and those who did not envy us feared us. We did not help ourselves by displaying our abilities to all who would watch. We could control so much with our abilities that those who would oppose us chose not to, not so much for themselves, but for the sake of the land, which they feared might not be there in the aftermath of such a battle._

_The third large clan was for many centuries steeped in mystery. The called themselves the Clan of Shadows. Its members were never seen outside the boundary of their village, and were never seen while the great Sun burned in the sky. It is said they feared, or even hated, the light of the Sun. Instead, if a Shadow was ever seen, it was after the Sun had disappeared over the distant horizon, in the time we called the half-light. They would go about their business as if night was day to them. And come first light, they would vanish._

_With the distrust that each clan placed in the other, and the unending skirmishes that refused to grant a decisive victory, one of our people chose to act. His name is still feared among us._

_His name was Azréalus._

_In his time, he was a great sorcerer; he mastered the art of light, able to bathe our crop fields in eternal sunlight in the depths of winter. But he saw that he could do so much more._

_He forced himself to learn even stronger magics. After years of secrecy, he emerged to demonstrate his new powers. With his mastery of light, he could level entire buildings, melt rock and carve the land apart as he saw fit. He decreed that, with such power, the Hylian tribe would conquer the lands and destroy all who stood to oppose them._

_The elders were scared beyond telling. In a few years, Azréalus had gone against the very principles of the Hylian clan, peace for the good of others. We would never destroy those who stood before us unless they chose to threaten us. What he proposed would have been nothing short of total war on the entire land, crushing the other clans and driving them into submission._

_He threatened to act without their approval, but they acted before he did. The elders never showed their true power for fear it could one day be countered. But on that day, they felt they had to intervene. They saw no other way but to banish his magic from him. It cost the life of one of the elders to summon such ability, but though her death was mourned, it was deemed a worthy sacrifice._

_Without magic, and a traitor to his own clan, he was cast out, exiled from the clan forever. Once alone, he disappeared for many years. In the time before we next saw him, those of us with magics attuned to the light, like myself, felt a deep change in the fabric of nature. We could feel darkness approaching._

_When we saw him next, he was not alone. He brought with him castaways from other clans who felt the desire for dominance as he did. But what scared us the most was his power. Though he could never again wield the sacred magic of light, he was so determined to achieve power that he drew it from darkness itself._

_We had never seen anything like it before. His approach to the first clan, the only survivor told us, was heralded by the darkest of clouds that blocked out the Sun even at midday. And the cloud was not moving. It was growing._

_Azréalus cast the dark cloud over one of the human tribes who refused to bow to him. Once it was done, the humans were imprisoned in darkness. Azréalus decreed that those who refused his dominance would be left in the darkness for all time, so that they would never see the greatness their land would soon claim._

_Four human villages fell to him in as many days. By this time, we Hylians stepped in. My father, Talex, was one of the first to stand before him. But even his most powerful magic of light was eclipsed by the absolute power of the darkness that surrounded Azréalus. He was struck down in moments. It was on that day that I vowed Azréalus would die by my hand._

_The darkness that Azréalus cast around the human villages could easily be broken from the outside, but those within could not escape. It held them like a black jail, turning their village into a prison. Inside, they could neither see nor hear. And by some cruel twist, they could not die. The blackness kept them alive._

_Our most powerful spells and enchantments could neither drive it back, nor protect against it. The power Azréalus wielded sought out light and consumed it. When our village was the last that stood between Azréalus and dominance of the land, an unlikely ally arose from the shadows._

_The dwellers of the Shadow clan, ignored by Azréalus in his conquest against the wielders of the power of light, rose to our side. The darkness threatened us all, they told us. It was time to set aside the petty differences that sparked so many pointless battles. They taught us their history; long ago they were like us - Hylians. At some time in the ancient past, they were stricken with a strange sensitivity to light, and so they separated and dwelt in the shadows. They were never comfortable in the light, but at the same time they could not live without the half-light their lives depended on. And Azréalus threatened to destroy all light, so they chose to aid us._

_The shadow dwellers were so similar to us Hylians that some could even wield magic. Their power was unique; whilst ours came from the light, theirs came from the half-light itself. It was an odd magic, but whilst it was not the dark magic that Azréalus used against us, it was different to light magic._

_The strongest sorcerers from both clans stood before Azréalus as he marched his followers upon us. We refused to back down, and when he cast the darkness towards us, we stood firm. Together, we tried to force it back, but the magic of light and shadow alone was not enough._

_I was among the group that faced him that day. I had prepared the strongest of our light magics to use against him, but it was not enough. But what happened when myself and the Shadow member beside me cast our magics together showed us the way._

_Our magics, cast so close together, mixed together, becoming a strange power that was the perfect opposite to the darkness that drew around us. We both knew what this meant, and we poured everything into forcing back the darkness using this new power. When the others realised what we had discovered, they joined us, and such incredible combined power cast together destroyed the darkness all around us._

_The Shadow member, a sorcerer named Midnus, and I stepped forwards to face Azréalus. Without his darkness to cast over us, we forced him to duel for his life._

_He was still more than a match for us. Every spell we cast at him was met with a stronger one of his own. Even our combined spells were not enough; they broke apart before they could touch him._

_It was then that I heard what I doubted I would ever hear._

_A tiny voice in my ear._

_Not from behind me, but from above._

_A tiny message from the Goddesses of old._

_It told me one simple instruction._

"_Unite light and shadow."_

_Midnus and I were in the middle of casting our magic, but I forced him to turn to me, and we cast our powers into each other._

_What happened next, I struggle to describe._

_Midnus and I ceased to be._

_In our place was a single being._

_And it was both of us at once._

_I could feel Midnus' thoughts and he could feel mine. We were one body, one united power. And we stood before Azréalus._

_When our magic was cast this time, it was stronger than light or shadow magic alone. Its power doubled even compared to our merged spells._

_Azréalus could not defend himself from such power. When our spell hit him, it broke through all of his dark magic and cast him to the ground. When he attempted to retaliate, he found his powers had been suppressed. For the second time, he was without magic. And had the Goddesses themselves not intervened, I would have struck him down there and then._

_We could not see them, but three shapes of pure gold surrounded the defeated sorcerer and with a divine flash of light, he was gone._

_I remember faintly hearing another message from the Goddesses as they left. They told me he would be banished forever to the Realm of Nothingness. Since he desired to bring darkness to the world, they had sent him to a place where there was nothing but darkness. And he would remain there for the rest of time. I was able to take some comfort in the knowledge that he was gone forever, and that this banishment to eternal darkness was likely worse than death. He would suffer for the rest of his life, which the Goddesses hinted would never end._

_The triumphant victory was marred by its aftermath. Though Midnus and I had played an equal role in the defeat of Azréalus, the rest of our clans could not see it. Both wanted to be known as the clan that defeated the darkness. We tried our hardest to make our people see the truth, that neither Light or Shadow were superior, but they would not listen. In a matter of days after our alliance had formed, the clans broke apart. The Shadow dwellers took it as a sign that we light-dwellers would always see ourselves as the dominant race and they bitterly retreated to the half-light. They claimed we had used them and cast them out._

_I missed their company as we aided in the rebuilding of the human villages. We chose not to make our powers known, instead walking among the humans as equals. In the years that would pass, we selected small numbers of humans to teach our magic to; we found that some had the potential to wield magic, though they were few. By this simple action, we weakened our people's image as the superior race, and gained acceptance of the humans. Though the Shadow clan would always be suspicious of us, we built a new land with the humans. The peace was fragile, and was tested when the last of the dying Shadow dwellers finally acted._

_They were small in number, having wasted so much time preparing to fight us that they neglected their own society. Their numbers fell to time and soon only a few remained. Desperate, they sought out the very power they had helped banish._

_In the aftermath of Azréalus' banishment, one fragment of him remained._

_His armour._

_He wore an elegant stone shoulder-plate and helmet that protected him from all magic and gave him the power to see in the blackness he created._

_When the Goddesses had stolen him away to the Realm of Nothingness, they had been forced to break apart his enchanted armour into four pieces. We knew they bore too much magic to be safe, so we gave the guardians of each village a piece to keep safe._

_Years later, the small group of shadow-dwellers quietly raided the safe places the armour was kept in and reunited it. They called themselves the Dark Interlopers. With the shadow magic the armour possessed, they sought entry to the Sacred Realm of the Goddesses to claim the True Force. With it, they intended to finally defeat those who dwelt in the light in vengeance._

_The Goddesses bore witness to the rise of Azréalus and would not do so again. In their divine wisdom, they intercepted the Interlopers and broke the armour apart again. In their anger, they cast the beings who dwelt in the half-light into a realm where only half-light existed, where they would not threaten the peace of the light. They gathered the pieces of the armour and placed them in the care of beings we could not understand, to keep safe for all time. Though a rumour spread that of the four pieces that made up the armour, only three were ever recovered. We guessed that one of the Interlopers had managed, somehow, to retain a piece of the armour, and it was drawn through into the realm of half-light with them._

_A small group witnessed the banishment with me, when we gathered our forces to combat their assembled power. Even though we did not lift our weapons, we stood on that hill united, Hylians and humans as equals. From that day forth, we vowed to live in peace._

_And I am honoured to say that peace lasted for centuries. As I near my last years, I feel proud that I was part of a great force that stabilised the fragile land. The great Hylian society fell to give rise to a new, united people."_

I scanned further ahead and realised the rest was Falrue's reflection on her life. I looked up at Zelda, who had remained remarkably quiet as she listened intently. She locked eyes with me.

"This may be exactly what we need," she said, her face full of wonder. "You remember the short riddle Nayru told Link? 'Unite light and shadow?' It sounds like merging your magic is the way to fight the darkness."

"So if Link and I went back into the Twilight Realm and tried merging our magic, we could drive it back?" I confirmed.

"It's all we have to go on," Zelda shrugged. "And it's worth a try. Link was able to do it safely, why not try-"

"Someone mention my name?"

We both turned to see Link enter the library.

"What happened to you?" I grinned at him.

"I… dozed off…" he said sheepishly, avoiding my eyes.

I burst out laughing. Zelda giggled slightly too.

"What? We'd been searching through this place for hours! Trying to carry those books got the better of me!"

"Oh Link, needing more sleep in your old age?" I teased. He rolled his eyes.

(~^~)

"So, find anything interesting?" I said, trying to rein her in.

"You probably won't believe this," Midna smiled.

I smirked for a moment. "If I told you everything I'd been through up to this point, you wouldn't believe me. Becoming a bit of a trend around here." I took a seat. "Try me."

Midna summarised what she'd read. And even then, that took nearly half an hour as she ran back over the text. Zelda looked on in wonder as Midna read it; I guessed it was so old Zelda couldn't read the language, but it surprised me Midna could. I'd ask for the details later.

When she finished, there was an awkward moment of silence.

"So…" I said slowly, unsure.

"Which idea do you like more, merging light and shadow in the Twilight Realm, or going after the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow?" Midna said.

"Got enough gold, thanks… oh…" I caught the joke. She was teasing me. She laughed heartily again. I had to laugh at myself for that one!

"Oh, I don't know, I'm a princess, I could always use more gold!" She cackled.

"Maybe a nice golden crown would look good on you, my little princess," I smiled. "A few gold rings and diamonds, too!"

"Ha, please, give all the romantic yuck a rest until we get through this," she said, rolling her eyes. "Though the moment we do, I want the full works – dinner, poetry, songs, jewellery…" She checked them off on her fingers.

"Anything you say, my precious little imp!" I smiled. She frowned at me.

"Are you two even **capable** of focussing on the task in hand?" Zelda said in frustration.

"Only if it's trying to kill me," I said honestly.

"Same," Midna shrugged.

"Gah!" Zelda grunted, raising a hand to her temple. "You two…!"

"What were you expecting?" Midna cackled.

"Some degree of sanity, but it appears I was wrong to ask of that…" she said wearily. "It's getting late and I really should get some sleep. Link, Midna, if you wish to stay here tonight, you are more than welcome to. I am sure Pellen can find you both rooms."

I remembered Midna scaring Pellen out of his skin and decided that it was probably best not to. "I think, if it's all right with you, Midna, we can spend the night back in Ordon."

"And what, meet the villagers?" She grinned.

"Only if you want to; I haven't seen them in a couple of weeks."

"Okay, Link."

"In that case, I bid you goodnight," Zelda said, her tiredness breaking into her voice. She yawned and rose as we bade her the same, and she left the library.

"Poor girl. She's under a lot of pressure," Midna said after the door had closed.

I nodded solemnly. "You didn't see her before I left Hyrule; I thought she was going to break. With everything that happened in Arylus, I'm surprised she didn't."

"She's very strong, but she's finding her limits," she said. "What's happening in the Twilight Realm isn't helping. Either of us." She added.

As she said that, I noticed the light in the room going from yellow to orange. The Sun was setting slowly. It wasn't yet twilight, but it would be soon. I turned to the windows to watch the light change.

In a few minutes, the last remnants of the day vanished over the horizon, leaving the half-light to bathe the land. Midna floated silently to my side.

"It **is** beautiful," I said quietly. I turned to her. "You know, they say that at this time of the day, two worlds merge," I recounted Rusl's words.

She smiled slightly, her expression seeming to say she understood how I felt at this time of day. "We don't have such myths in the Twilight. We don't even have a Sun. Night and day as you Hylians would know it comes from the Sols."

I watched the gold flood across the field. "You think it's possible? Uniting our magics?"

"Like Zelda said, it's worth a try. Though if it doesn't work, you might not be able to get back."

"You managed to get through the Mirror," I reminded her. She placed both hands on my shoulder and rested on me.

"Yes, but that might have been a complete fluke. I had an enchanted bracelet to keep the Nothingness at bay," she drew the bracelet she was talking about out of her pocket and showed me.

"I take it you didn't grab a second on your way out," I thought aloud. She shook her head.

I had an idea; she was on my right side, so I slowly drew the Master Sword from my back and looked at it. In the dimming light, its steel blade shone slightly.

Midna smiled. "Even after six months, it has held the light of the Sols."

"Do you think it would work? Give me enough light to drive back this Nothingness?"

She thought for a moment. "I think when I left the palace, I could see a small patch of light around the Sols. It was very difficult to see, though, and I didn't have much time. But it's possible. And if not, I could dash into the palace and find you a bracelet like mine. It would really go with your eyes," she grinned, holding the bracelet beside my head as she compared them. I gave her a smile.

"What about _him_?" I asked.

She fell silent for a few moments, her smile gone. She pocketed the bracelet. "With any luck, we can cross into the Twilight and try it before he even realises we're there. If he does, we run."

I sighed. "We can't fight him, can we?"

She shook her head slightly. "He's too powerful. His power now comes from the darkness, and that's consumed the entire realm. We have to drive it back before we have a chance."

I looked back out of the window, watching as the light of day gave rise to the dark of night. "How long do we have?"

"For almost everyone, it takes about a week for their minds to begin to give in. It's been three days."

I nodded. "Then we'll try tomorrow. Let's go home."

* * *

Hope you didn't mind the long chapter - 17 pages in Word! :)  
Like I say, I'm never going to be a history writer, but the level of backstory Heroes needs necessitated this chapter. I've got the next chapter mostly planned, but after that, I don't know.  
Uni is about to restart so my free time is running out; I'll try for an update once a week, but no promises.  
R&R please and see you next time!


	22. Chapter 19: Time Out

Update 21-01-10 5:55PM, 29-01-10 1:46PM  
Hey hey kids, guess what, I'm not dead! This chapter's been in the works for ages; I'm not sure how appropriate it is, given what they're going into, but then, heck, this wouldn't fit anywhere else. It's undergone a thorough rewrite from when I first wrote it; it was too high-spirited at first, but I was able to rework it so it fits the mood more.  
Next chapter will take a while; not even started, though I know what's going to happen (vaguely). I'll take the chance to say many thanks to the eleven reviewers from the last chapter: cheers to Zel (how I missed you out, I do not know! Sorry dude!), Logan, Ninja, Dwarg, Scarlet (welcome new reader!), NightmareKira, ConGie (who is doing quite well with TSL; sorry I haven't reviewed yet, haven't had time to finish it!), MysteriousMidna (welcome, too!) and Varanus. Also welcome to anyone who added alerts and faves!  
You might have seen I now have two more fics on here; they are both post-TP LoZ fics and are connected to this fic, but are much darker. After Zelda and Midna's talk in the last chapter, and inspired by another fic, I wrote a what-if branching off Heroes; what if Midna hadn't returned. The first, No Happy Ending, is a tragic tale and is probably the darkest thing I have ever written; it's rated M for its content and is very sad. It involves a character death, too. It started as a one-shot, but I wrote a follow-up that I decided would be best placed in a whole new story as I went to third-person perspective. The follow-up, No More Heroes, is also quite dark, but not as much as NHE. If you like these kinds of fics, check them out, but otherwise, stick with Heroes! :)  
Anyway, waffling/plugging over, enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 19  
Time Out

"Before we go, I want to stop by Telma's," I said as we left the castle.

"Oh no, no drinking on the job, Hero," she smiled.

"Ha, no, I want to see if the Group is there. Shad's pretty well-versed in legends; maybe he's got some insight on this 'merging of light and shadow'."

Midna rolled her eyes. "Please, all he'll end up telling you is everything you never wanted to know about the Oocca!"

"Got all the information you want?"

"…Not really…"

We went through the town to Telma's, the sky growing steadily darker. I could tell it was chilling Midna again to see the light leave the land, because she eventually drew very close to me, electing to again sit on my shoulder.

With the night approaching, most of the citizens had gone home. This was a welcome relief to us both as we entered the well-lit bar.

The bar was quite active; Telma and several other patrons were there. I smiled when I realised one drinker was the mailman.

"LINK!" Telma beamed at me. Oh boy, here we go.

She rushed out from behind the bar to give me a hug, then stopped before her impressive cleavage could be forced under my gaze again.

"Er, Link honey, what's that?" She said, indicating Midna.

I could feel Midna getting just a little bit tense; not wanting to have to explain why Telma had spontaneously combusted, I quickly said, "She's called Midna. She's a very close friend of mine."

"_Girl_friend," Midna whispered teasingly in my ear. I grunted quietly in response.

"That thing can talk?" Telma said, surprised.

I carefully wrapped my hand around Midna's foot to say 'don't'.

"Yeah, she's a little touchy."

"Okay…" Telma said, an odd look on her face. It grew more puzzled when Midna floated off my shoulder and extended her hand for Telma to shake.

"Nice to meet you, Telma," she grinned.

"You're… not from around here, are you?" She said, very unsure.

The toothy grin reappeared. "A whole world over, though we've met before!"

Telma's eyes seemed to search her memories. "I don't remember someone like you around these parts…"

Midna gave her a mischievous smile. "I can be pretty discrete!"

"Midna was my companion when the Twilight invaded Hyrule earlier this year," I explained.

Telma's face broke in realisation. "So hon, you from the Twilight?" She asked Midna.

"Sort of," Midna replied with a grin.

"About the only time you'll get a straight answer out of her is when it's no longer fun for her to mess with you!" I said, smiling.

"Oy, remember the time things made sense?" Telma said, catching her head in her hand.

"Things haven't been making sense for half a year," I smiled.

"So honey, anything I can do for you?"

"I don't suppose The Group's been here recently?"

"Oo, sorry hon, they left about an hour ago."

"Damn." We turned to go.

"Whoa, slow down a second, buddy! You gonna go without a drink?"

"Yes," Midna hissed in my ear.

"Why not? I think we've earned it," I said back to her.

"OK, fine, one drink, then let's get going. We've got a LOT of work to do, buster," she said, playfully nudging my head.

"Whoa, Midna, ease up a little," Telma said. "People are entitled to a bit of fun now and again! Reminds them why life's worth living!" I caught Midna giving me an odd look for an instant before it was gone. Telma returned behind the bar and pulled out two tankards. "You want your usual, Link?"

"Sure."

"And Midna?"

Midna looked quite surprised. "Oh, erm… I'll have what he's having."

"Coming right up!" She beamed, pouring out two measures of the weakened mead and placing the tankards on the bar. I took up an empty stool; Midna floated down and stood on the bar. We both took up our tankards, looked at each other and I proposed a quiet toast. "To a new adventure."

Midna chinked her tankard into mine and we both drank a gulp. When I lowered my head to look back at her, she had a confused look on her face. "Yeesh, that's **it**? I've had stronger _water!_"

I adopted that evil smile she overused as she stared into her tankard, as if she were looking for the alcohol. I knew where she could find some. I caught Telma's eye and she came over.

"Hey, got any of Bo's Special left?" I whispered.

"Oh Link, become a man all of a sudden?" She laughed quietly. "He sent up a barrel last week and you know how slow that stuff goes! Want one?"

"Just one," I said, smiling. 'See what she thinks of this…' I thought.

She poured the liquid into another tankard and handed it to me. Midna finally became aware of our conversation and took notice. "What's up?"

"You want something a little stronger, try this," I laughed, handing her the tankard.

We chinked our cups and Midna closed her eyes as she tilted her head back, taking a big gulp. Her first mistake.

Mid-gulp, her eyes snapped open and the mug flew away from her mouth, her head falling forwards as she gasped for breath. "Whoa, holy…! Oh, that's good stuff!" She wheezed, clutching her throat.

Bo's Special was, unsurprisingly, brewed by Bo in a still in his basement. He didn't make much of it. A good thing too, as it was quite dangerous. It was as potent as a good kick in the head and more volatile than lantern oil. The ale was so strong, even the most hardened Hyrulean soldier couldn't take more than about a pint before staggering home.

Midna locked eyes with me and flashed a 'you could have warned me' at me. I struggled not to laugh, thinking, 'you said you wanted stronger!' As if to prove herself, she drew the mug to her lips and took a more controlled sip. As I watched she seemed to get a feel for the ale and was able to drink it faster. That was both impressive and worrying; I hoped she didn't develop too much of a liking for it…

Midna drained the mug, placed it heavily at her feet and said, "Not bad, buster. Hey Telma, one more please! Me and him have some things to discuss."

Oh boy…

*

We adopted a table in the corner, me sitting on a chair, Midna sitting on the table itself. She had a mug of ale before her that she took occasional sips from. And though this was a place to be having a good time in, she seemed lost in her own thoughts. Finally she looked up and spoke quietly.

"So… know what we're going to do?"

"I'm all for throwing Ganondorf and about a hundred bombs in the Sky Cannon and aiming for the edge of the world," I said honestly.

She laughed quietly at the thought; I smiled. "Nice idea; maybe shoot him straight up, pull him out of the lake and repeat a few times?"

"You know, I've got the ball and chain, and maybe the Spinner; maybe we could tie them to his ankles and throw him off the Bridge of Eldin!"

"Nah," she cackled. "Kakariko Gorge, and throw the Bridge itself down after him!" How many times had we had to rebuild that bridge…

"Hmm, those fans in the City in the Sky had pretty sharp blades…"

"Just drop him off the City walls?"

"Aim for Snowpeak?"

"Let the Snow Wolves have him?"

"I hear Chus have strange effects in combination…"

"Bury him up to his neck in the desert?"

"Dunk him in the lava pits on Death Mountain?"

"Ball and chain, lava pit, done!" Midna laughed. I had to as well; that one might work!

Midna took a sip of ale with ease now. "But then, what after that?" She said, the humour around us breaking.

I sipped my mead. "You mean, between us?" I said heavily.

"Yeah…" She broke eye contact again.

"I take it you and Zelda had a talk," I guessed. She nodded.

"She gave me a whole new outlook on what I'd done," she said.

I gave a small smile. "Yeah… she can do that…"

She flashed a smile. "We know where things stand now, at least."

I nodded. "And I'm happy with that."

"But I'm not, Link," she looked at me. "No, not like that! I mean, once we've destroyed him, I've got a responsibility to my people." She sighed. "It's why I broke the Mirror, Link."

I sighed. "I know. And I understand. You wanted to protect both realms, and the only way is to make sure they can never cross. For what it's worth, it was the right thing for Hyrule and the Realm."

"I was an idiot; I was so blind," she said, shaking her head. "Zelda warned me about the possibility of needing help from the Light again. I'm surprised she didn't start dancing around singing 'I told you so!'"

I laughed for a moment at that thought. She smiled.

"The biggest reason, though, was to make sure I could never be tempted to try and make things work. I'm so sorry Link, my duty to my people came above all else, and I just couldn't risk messing things up. So much could have gone wrong."

"It's okay, I don't blame you," I said. "But I know what you mean. Could your people handle a light-dwelling peasant being seen with their princess."

"Not in the same way, but it's all I can think about. I just don't know how they'd react, and until that time, I don't want to set you up for another heartbreak if they won't accept you."

I took another sip. "I never think about the future. I live for the moment, I do what I like and don't think of the consequences. And that's what I believe we should do; let's not worry about it. Let's take everything as it happens. If we run into trouble, we'll face it and find a way through it." I glanced at her. "Besides, a broken mirror couldn't stop me! What could?" I grinned.

She chuckled slightly, before becoming serious again. "Zelda told me how empty life was for you afterwards. I know there's nothing left for you, and in my heart I _want_ us to be together always." Our eyes met. "For now, I'm going to listen to my heart, not my head. Let's do it; let's live for the moment. You and me."

I raised my mug and broke into a smile; she chinked her tankard into mine and we drank deeply. I finally knew where we stood, and that was more than enough to bring back my happiness.

For half an hour or so, we discussed the Twilight Realm, how I'd only ever seen the floating palace and that the land far below was as large and diverse as Hyrule. I listened intently; I made notes in my mind of anything that might be useful, like sacred places, magical objects, anything mundane to Midna that could well save our lives.

"Hey! What the Tessek-?"

Then we were interrupted.

A trio of sparsely-dressed young men made their way over to our table. Their eyes were fixed on Midna. As they approached, I whispered to her, "Able to stick with the 'pet' plan?"

"Does that mean I can't kill anyone?" She whispered back.

"Yes."

"Damn."

"What is THAT?!" The group's evident leader demanded as they reached us.

"She's my pet, a very rare creature," I said calmly. "Why? Is there something wrong?"

"It ain't like no animal I ever saw!" He stated.

"It looks dangerous!" Another one said.

"Only if you provoke her," I warned them. My hand twitched for the hilt of my sword.

"What the Tessek… it's drinking! That ain't no animal!" The third, apparently the observant one, cried. By now, the rest of the bar had begun turning around to see us.

"It ain't no animal, it's a monster!" The second exclaimed. With that, everyone in the bar snapped around to watch.

"It's one of those things that attacked the town!" The first one yelled. "Kill it!"

My eyes flared and in literally the blink of an eye, the Master Sword hovered between him and Midna. His eyes refocused on the majestic blade in shock.

"She's not a monster, or an animal. She's an intelligent creature, like anyone here," I told him flatly. "I will not have her threatened, and Goddesses help you if she were to be harmed. She's one of the reasons those 'monsters' are now gone."

"Yeah, right," said the second. "What do you know?"

"I was the other reason," I said. "You want monsters, look at yourselves in the mirror." I twisted the hilt of the sword and the reflective blade glimmered in the light, showing them their own faces in its perfect steel. "It's cowardly and barbaric to want to destroy what you don't understand. Wars have started for reasons like this. Now, unless you want to make me your new enemy, I suggest you go back to your drinks."

"And just who are you anyway?" The third quizzed.

"Link of Ordon," I said, spinning the sword back into its sheath as the first backed away. "The Hero of Twilight."

That brought some murmurs from the gathered patrons. As the trio backed away, a forth man rose from his seat and dragged the first man back to his with some urgency.

I looked around at the sea of eyes watching us. I hated being stared at. "Anyone else got a problem with this?" I said, a hint of steel in my voice.

The eyes fell back to their drinks. Telma walked up to us.

"Hon, under normal circumstances, I'd boot you out for pullin' that sword out," she said so only we could hear. "But those guys are nothin' but trouble. That, and normal just don't exist here anymore."

I nodded and looked back at Midna. She bore a look of bored satisfaction, that the incident was over without any blood being shed. "Think it's time we made a discrete exit?" She whispered; the bar had gone oddly quiet.

"I wouldn't force you, but it'd be for the best," Telma warned. "Best if things stayed quiet tonight."

"Okay," I sighed. "How much do I owe you for wrecking the peace?"

"Call it ten Rupees for the drinks and we're okay."

I fished out a pair of blue gems without showing my purse and handed them to Telma.

"Much appreciated, darlin'. I'll see you around, I guess."

*

We left the tavern some hours after we intended to and we now made our way awkwardly out of town. Two pints of Bo's Special had done a number on Midna; when she tried to float unaided, she had been so unsteady she had nearly crashed into the door. Walking on foot wasn't an option, either; she couldn't even hold herself up. But she was content as I picked her up to take her home.

(~^~)

Link and Telma had both been right; a bit of fun reminded me of what I was fighting to protect – time with him. I'd always been hard on him, setting limits for him and bossing him around, but when he was out of his depth he practically begged for guidance. One drink and we'd have been out of there, slightly happier and with much less of a weight over us.

But now, I lay nestled in his arms as he walked down the deserted East road in the night. I was completely exhausted and more than ready to sleep, but I broke the silence and whispered, "Now we're even." The ale was already doing a number on me; in the Twilight Realm, fiery ale like that was commonplace, but the way it was brewed, its main kick was in its taste. It didn't send the drinker's head roiling like mine was starting to. Light-world ales had after-effects that I'd never expected. I giggled at the thought; Bo would HAVE to teach me how to brew that stuff!

"I don't think so," my bearer grinned at me. "That probably covers the month's worth of ear-pulling!"

I laughed softly. If he was going to go through everything I'd done to him, I was in for it! I saw the jesting in his eyes though; it was all a bit of fun. He'd never expected me to end up like this. This was my bad, a result of trying to play along. And I wasn't angry at all; I felt pretty happy, actually! Whatever was swirling around my head was pushing all my worries, fears and pains aside. All that was left was the feeling that everything was all right.

'"I'll say this much," Link thought aloud. "At least you're pretty easy to carry!"

I laughed softly. "So, you prefer me as an imp?"

"Let's put it this way; if you're going to make a habit of this, then yes!" He laughed back.

I took a playful swipe at him, smiling broadly. He turned to head out of the town, I assumed to warp us home. Ha, I wondered where we'd end up! Oh well, I didn't care. I knew he'd get us home safe. He always got us away safely. I reflected on the task before us, the event that we would face in the morning, and I knew, even with my head a little unsteady, that together, we would overcome. There was nothing that could stand before us.

Being in his arms in the town took me back to that point six months ago, when I'd first harnessed the Shadows. Their magic scared me; it took all my power to unite them around me, but the instant they all came together, I felt their full power course through my body. Everything after that was a blur; I remembered feeling determined, like I saw an obstacle and I knew a way through it. And then I was falling…

In my inexperience with the ancient power, I had exhausted myself. I couldn't hold onto it. All I remembered was falling away from the sky, but I never touched the ground. When I opened my eyes, I met with the deep blue of his; he'd caught me as I fell, and he cradled me in his arms, waiting for me to wake up.

Just like now.

He was always there for me, he would always protect me, and knowing now how he had taken my departure, he truly couldn't live without me.

I wanted us to be together so much; the pain in my heart I had felt ever since that tear was gone. He was right; who cared about the consequences? There had to be ways around this. Knowing now that light and shadow once came from the same place in ancient times, it was truly meant to be. Zelda was right; it was the design of the Goddesses that we would meet. We were both mixes of light and shadow as it was; Link bore that crystal connecting him to the Twilight, and Zelda had infused me with light. It was always meant to be…

(~^~)

The little imp in my arms was on the verge of sleep when she spoke again.

"So… was that our first date?" She grinned.

"Ha, probably best we forget that one!"

"Living for the moment, huh? Thanks for defending me back there. You know I could have handled myself."

"Hey, I just wanted to avoid a body count!" I laughed.

"Pfft…" She muttered. "Like three's a big effort to clear up!" She grinned.

"I know the bar's had plenty of fights but that doesn't mean Telma's gotten used to throwing bodies down the sewer!"

She grinned and closed her eyes. In a few moments, she fell asleep in my arms.

To look at her asleep as I held her made my heart melt. She trusted me completely; she knew I would give my life to protect her, and she could finally let her guard down around me. When she had finally talked to me about how she felt, and what she wanted above all, I couldn't have felt better about us. The future was uncertain, but we would face it together.

I reached the edge of town and crossed the bridge into the open field. I placed the limp, tired imp on my back like I had in the Mirror Chamber, crouching to all fours, and then morphed. This wasn't as easy as I had thought, as my legs changed position several times mid-morph, so I was standing awkwardly when I became a wolf. Something to keep in mind if this happened again, I thought happily.

Midna was splayed out on my back, breathing softly. I felt for the Shadow magic and felt it flow over me. Images flashed through my unsteady mind as I searched for the one I knew I wanted… Ordon Spring. It took more effort than usual to focus through the slight effects of the mead, but I felt confident. My abilities hadn't let me down when she needed me most – pinpoint accuracy to Kakariko. And as I felt our bodies breaking into pieces, I could swear I heard her snore.

*

As we reassembled in the spring, I remembered those long nights in Hyrule Field or at Lake Hylia, me exhausted from a day of travelling or fighting. How I'd curl up at the base of a tree, feeling safe to have a solid object behind me. How I'd wake up several times during the night to check for enemies, only to find Midna curled up with me, weaving herself into the fur on my belly for warmth, for protection. She was never there when the morning light woke me, naturally, at least not until after the Lakebed Temple…

I don't know why my mind snapped to memories of us asleep; the position she was in was so much like how she had been after Zant had exposed her to the light. Maybe my mind wanted me to be happy, and refused to let this pure connection be tainted by such unhappy times. Instead, I remembered times when, after sleeping several hours, I had woken up to Midna's head resting on me; later to raise my head to see her eyes staring into mine, only just hiding her embarrassment. Had I really been so dumb not to notice it? No, not dumb, just… distracted. I'd been so focussed on the whole that I missed the parts.

I didn't bother morphing; I walked slowly back from the spring in wolf form, keeping Midna balanced on my back. She was fast asleep; I could feel her snore. I laughed as best a wolf could; she was adorable when asleep! Not to mention somewhat harmless…

At the foot of the ladder to my home, I morphed carefully, keeping my back flat to avoid Midna rolling off. I picked her off my back and cradled her. It wasn't the best idea to raise the house off the ground like this; getting objects in and out was difficult, to say the least. Midna was small, but still too big to carry with one arm. So I used the Shadow and levitated the pair of us up to my door. I went into the house, lighting the lantern on the table. The mugs were still there; another testament to drinking.

It was a warrior's habit never to let my mind lose its edge; that weak mead would never get me drunk to the same level as she was. I just knew that an enemy could come roaring at me at any second, no matter what the location; any hesitation could be fatal. So, even though I was far from sober, I was still clear-headed enough to perform the mundane task of getting us to bed.

It was easier to let Midna have my bed and for me to sleep on the floor. I levitated us up to the top floor, lifted the blanket and placed the sleeping imp on the bed, gently sliding the Shadow off her head and placing it on the floor beside her. I covered her with the blanket and slid down the ladders to the basement, rustling up some spare sheets to make myself a bed. As I emerged from the basement, I caught sight of the mugs again. I rinsed one out in the bucket of water beside the stove, filling it with water, and carried it carefully up to the bed. I set the mug beside the bed for her, and spread the sheets onto my floor. I pulled off my sword and shield, leaving them close to my bed, another warrior's habit I could tell would take years to break. I removed my hat and slid into my makeshift bed, blowing out the lantern to sink into peaceful and rewarding sleep.

* * *

So, tell me what you think and see you soon, I guess! I'll try not to take too long but no promises!  
I made a slight correction to the paragraph beginning 'I don't know why my mind...' because I realised I'd rewritten a couple of sentences and the rest didn't match up, so now it makes sense, I hope! I also slightly changed 'In my experience...' to add another detail. Very minor, but makes more sense.  
Peace out.


	23. Chapter 20: A Fine Line

Revision 01/02/10 4:40PM  
Another chapter that took ages to write. I'm wondering whether to lengthen the next chapter to keep consistent with 7 chapters per part and then have the part 4 interlude, or just go into part 4 next chapter. It'll depend more on what I can come up with for the next chapter. I've managed to get a rotten cold so this was mostly written today, in between far, far too much web development - I was revamping the uni's film society website, writing PHP and JavaScripts from scratch. Man, I needed a break from that! :)  
Good haul of reviews for the last chapter - many thanks to Zel (didn't forget this time! :), OrionTheHunter (welcome new reader!), ConGie, Ninja, Varanus, The Invisible Fan (welcome!), Logan and especially 'Malon' - your review was awesome! I'll also take the opportunity to say hi to anyone from WMB who might have stumbled across this - this fic is getting around...  
Anywho, enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 20  
A Fine Line

When I awoke the next morning to the sunlight streaming through my window, I noticed something odd about my bed. I quickly remembered I had slept on the floor, however I then noticed an odd shape beneath the blanket over me. I pulled the blanket back.

Curled up against me was Midna. Either she'd rolled off the bed and nestled into mine, or she wanted to go back to the old times.

My heart melted at the sight of her. I decided staying in bed wasn't out of the question; I put my arm around her and pulled her close without waking her. I put my head down, pulled the blanket around us and just enjoyed being with her. I must have simply lain there for an hour, maybe two, in that warm embrace.

Eventually she began to wake.

"Uhhhh, my head…" she moaned as she stretched, one hand on her forehead. "What happened last night?" She said groggily, turning to look at me.

"A couple of pints of high-proof spirits. Don't sneeze on a candle," I chuckled quietly.

"Uh, I feel like your horse just knocked me over…" She said weakly, holding her head. She opened her eyes to the light and immediately covered them with her hands. "I have never had such a headache…"

"Say hello to one of the world of light's greatest gifts – the hangover!"

She groaned again. "What did I drink last night?"

"I'm not too sure, but I think Fyer uses it in his cannon…" I had honestly overheard Bo once say he used to give Fyer a barrel once a week. I suppressed a laugh at the thought for her sake; the ale was pretty flammable, maybe Fyer wasn't drinking it after all…

"Never again…" she sighed.

I smiled slightly – she had to learn the hard way, didn't she? I reached over to the bed and grabbed the mug, passing it to her. "Drink some water, you'll feel better."

She gladly took the mug and carefully drank from it whilst lying on her side. A few drips landed on the sheets, but she drank most of it. "Remind me never to drink that much again…"

"Oh trust me, I'm not going to let you forget this," I teased.

She knocked the cup into my head. "Any more water?" She asked, in a voice that said, 'damn.'

I took it. "Sure," I said with a smile. I rolled out from under the blanket, careful not to pull it off her, and descended into the main room.

(~^~)

Everything was a mess to me; drunkenness existed in the Twilight, but it was heavily frowned upon and usually confined to small circles. Added to, only a few crops could be made into such drinks, and they took a great deal of skill to grow. The rest of the drinks in the Twilight only gave the drinker a stiff kick; there were few consequences. At a guess, it was the Sun that imbued the crops of the light world with both the flavours and ability to make such drinks. I sighed at that thought; it brought me back to the topic of the Interlopers, how their actions had caused us to be kicked out of this land…

Thankfully, my head wasn't hurting as badly as I thought; after I first sipped the water, just the cool feel of the liquid on my tongue seemed to soothe away the ache. I had another reason for wanting more.

When Link slipped out of bed, I got the chance to look him over better. His uncovered upper body was amazing; his muscles weren't ghastly bulges of flesh, but beautifully toned, wrought by hard work giving him such natural strength, the calibre of which would surprise most people. He never ceased to amaze me with it.

As the shirtless young man I loved walked away from the bed, the light of the morning caught his back. I winced; it was strewn with scars, and his quest was responsible for most of them. The largest one, running from his right shoulder to his spine just below his ribs, was actually my fault; he'd pushed me out of the way of falling glass when the Mirror shard had first possessed Yeta, and a large piece had caught him. It was so sharp it ripped straight through his clothes and sliced open his back. It horrified me, the amount of blood I saw, but Blizzetta wasn't going to stop. She was just getting started. And it was my fault; I'd been too quick, going for the shard without thinking of its power.

When I realised the injury he'd taken to stop me getting hurt, I risked a lot to get to him; ice was flying in every direction, chunks big enough to crush me into the wall. But I got to him, and I threw a blanket of protective Shadow magic around him for the few seconds his Triforce needed to heal him.

It isn't easy, holding up such a barrier. It stretches the caster's magic, and everything that hits it causes the barrier to drain more power from them. And in my imp form, my magic was already weakened. I only had the helmet as that HECLIC had stolen the others. But I protected him. He had always protected me. Chunks of ice slammed into the bubble over him, and I felt each and every impact like it was hitting my body. By the time he had healed enough to stand, I had nearly reached my limit. All I could do was melt back into his shadow and collapse as my body tried to recover. It was very distant to me, that battle. I was dimly aware of an uncountable number of crashes and bangs; all I could think about was how much Link had risked for me. It all dawned on me in that moment.

It was insane. Right from the start, he'd fought all those creatures in the dungeons. Okay, they were in his way, but I remembered seeing his eyes check back at me every time. Checking I was okay. Through each province as we quested for the Shadows, he'd restored the light and had selflessly kept up his end of the bargain for me. He had no reason to; the light was back, and he could so easily have left for home without even entering the dangerous Water Temple. But he threw his life on the line time after time to get them, and every time I popped out of his shadow, or rode on his back, his vigilance went up several notches as he checked for anything that could threaten us. And any threat was so quickly dispatched.

It was ironic, in a way. I'd only ever expected to get one piece of the Shadow out of him. I guilted him into the first temple, twisting his arm just enough to recover the first piece, and was fully expecting him to refuse any more help, after which I was all set to go find another. I couldn't afford to even tell him who I was; heck, Zelda had revealed my name! He was expendable, and though I initially didn't view him as anything more than hired help, I had no wish for him to get hurt. So I made sure he didn't end up pushing himself to save the Princess of a land he would probably never see. I chuckled; I'd been a total salo to him to protect him! Besides, he'd never have believed me.

I cursed every day I lived in that imp body at first, but over time, I came to appreciate it. I hated to admit it, but riding Link was so much fun. I couldn't suppress the enjoyment I felt as I directed my lupine steed to his next objective. I knew the stakes, but I couldn't help it.

Added to that, this small body could do things my true form couldn't; I could levitate for much longer, slip through the bars to his cell, and most importantly, I could melt into any shadow. It degraded me at first; I was the Princess, and yet I was condemned to nothing more than a shadow in this world. But it was so useful. In a large enough shadow, I could move unrestricted and invisibly, and I could jump into any moving shadow for a free ride anywhere.

It had its merits, but this tiny imp body was all Link had ever seen me as for the entire quest. I didn't even feel able to admit I was a Princess. It was the final insult; Zant stole my kingdom, my people, and then took away who I was. At first, I felt it was worse than death. But I quickly realised I could do something about it when I came across a certain beast…

The wolf reflected Link's unconscious mind, wild, free and unstoppable. It was pure luck that I happened across him, and those idiotic beasts dropped him off in the perfect place. Who would have thought – the prophesised saviour of the Twilight, the Sacred Beast himself, and I'd found him! And despite everything I put him through, he proved he was loyal to the end. When Zant had exposed me to the light, all I could think about was that this was truly it. Everything had come full circle…

_Pain._

_All I could think was pain. Even those thoughts hurt._

_The light burnt every single square inch of my body. I was a shadow, and light banished shadows._

_It was the worst pain I could ever feel._

_The scream I let out didn't betray even a tenth of what I felt._

_When the awful light died away, I felt myself on his feral back. I was so distant, like I was floating above my crippled body, only so slightly aware of what was going on. All I could think was that I could make it up to him. My last act would be to save him. I'd dragged him into the mess time and again. I'd make it my final action to make sure he knew everything he needed to get out. And only Zelda could do that. My voice barely registered to me, a weak, crumbling voice. It hurt me to do anything; my body burned like I had swum in lava._

_I fully expected to die before I reached the castle. After all, I'd been such a cruel, heartless person to him. I'd mocked his every attempt at something he'd never done before. I insulted and degraded him. I saw him as nothing but a little servant. And I regretted every word I'd said, every move of my body since I met him. Because now, how could he be prepared to try and save me?_

_I'd treated him worse than a slave and now my life depended on him. The Goddesses were mocking me, I knew it._

_All I expected was an uncaring walk back to the castle. Maybe I'd be able to hang on long enough to get Zelda to explain to him, but I knew it was a pointless hope. I felt my life wearing thin as his shaggy coat moved underneath me._

_But I felt that coat moving at surprising speed. He was running, and faster than I had ever known him run. I couldn't see much, but I could imagine a stick flying through the air before him…_

_Yet he never stopped. He was pushing himself. Maybe he truly loved his wolf form, and wanted to run as the wind? It was easily possible._

_But something nagged at me._

_Even as distant as I was from him, I could feel some determination in his strides. And from what little I could feel, its full sum had to be intense._

_He was running, not because he liked to, but because he needed to. He was running for me._

_My thoughts became so cloudy as I grabbed for the last of the Shadow's magic. My life was nearly over, I could feel it. I just had to hang on for a few more minutes. I managed to harness it, to wrap myself in the magic and hold my dying self in the world for just a bit longer. It cleared some of my thoughts if only for a moment or two. But in that moment, I felt his urgency. I felt my body shift around on his back as his legs moved at incredible speed._

_He didn't want me to die. He wanted to save me. But I knew I was beyond saving. There was nothing that could bring me back. So he'd have to settle for a few answers._

_And in that moment, I saw we were close. We would make it; I would be able to try for one small drop of redemption. I would be able to try to set things right._

_It's an odd feeling, to accept the immanency of death. My life had frayed; my body was ruined. I knew there would be no going back. But what would happen next? Were the ancient bedtime stories true, and would I find myself in the Sacred Realm of old? Would my twisted treatment of my loyal bearer be enough to deny my entrance, confining me instead to torture for all eternity? Or would it all go black forever?_

_I couldn't fight it. I just accepted this was it. The point of no return. I was never coming back._

_I was so glad I would only have to die once. I never wanted to feel this way again._

_As we finally reached the Princess' chambers, I could no longer hold myself on my steed. When I hit the floor, I was numb to all touch. I didn't even feel it. I just saw Zelda and began my attempt at making things right. My time was running out. So much was left undone, so much unsaid…_

_I'd wasted my life, I remembered dimly. Raised a spoilt brat, crowned Princess of a world that viewed me as so high as to be beyond the touches of a mere mortal, and now to be killed by the traitor who had stolen everything from me?_

_I didn't want to give him the satisfaction of winning. But my every prayer as I stuttered out my last wishes to Zelda was for Link to destroy the one who did this to me._

_But though I would eventually get my wish, I hadn't expected this._

_When Zelda shared her life and her light with me, I felt something I had abandoned._

_Hope._

_For a few seconds, I felt as if everything would be all right. I thought, that was it, I was beginning my crossing into the next life. But then, when my sight returned to this one, I realised what she was doing. I couldn't let her! She had to guide him! I was no use as this ghastly imp! She was wrong to bring me back…_

_But there was nothing I could do._

_I hadn't believed it possible to be brought back, from so close to the edge that the slightest touch would have sent me over it. But what Zelda shared with me did just that, and though I was grateful, I didn't deserve it._

_When my body touched the ground and I found myself solid in the light, outside of the Twilight, the full force of what had happened hit me. Both Link and Zelda had given their all to save me._

_Why did they do that? What did they see in me?_

_I couldn't answer those thoughts. But I made it my duty to find out…_

"Hello? Anyone in there?"

A cup was being waved before my eyes. I blinked a few times as it registered, then took it. "Thanks," I said.

"You sound better already," my light said as he knelt beside me. I took a long drink. "You were pretty out of it for a moment."

"Yeah," I said, pausing my drinking. "I was thinking."

"I thought I heard a strange sound while I was down there," he teased.

"Perish the thought you have a good idea!" I retorted with a grin. "The sound your head would make would deafen everyone!"

He gave a quiet growl and I pressed the mug to my lips again, struggling not to laugh. I drained the mug of water and wiped my mouth. My head had ceased pounding. I sat up and handed him the mug. "Thanks. I needed that."

He gave a warm smile and passed me the Shadow. I slid it on and blinked as my vision returned. With it, my head cleared completely. I floated up and looked around.

I'd never looked around his house before; he'd dropped in here once on his way back from Kakariko to bring news of the children, though I'd been so bored by the travelling I wasn't watching. I tried not to flash back to the other reason for his visit, the Iron Boots, but I shuddered when that thought crashed through my thoughts.

I had flitted into the shadows to watch his training, and I had to admit, Link shirtless had my jaw threatening to drop even back then. His physique was stunning. But that was quickly sent away when I saw his tutor. A shiver of distaste rippled through me. What was seen could not be unseen…

"What's up with the place?" Link asked me as I hovered some distance before the ground. "I know it's not the Palace of Twilight, but…" he offered.

That snapped me back to reality. "Oh, er, no, but it's nice…" I struggled. "It's… cosy…"

He laughed. "No servants either, unfortunately!"

I fixed a grin on him. "Wrong!"

His eyes widened when he realised, but they quickly returned to their dancing energy. He swept into a wide bow to me. "But of course, my princess. Will your majesty be needing of anything?" He asked in a fitting voice without looking up.

"No thank you kind sir, that will be all," I said regally.

We both laughed at that; neither voice fitted us! I floated down to the ground floor level as he slid down the ladders.

"Not bad, not bad," I said, looking around. "Maybe a bit of white paint here, perhaps some yellow here," I said, pointing randomly. "Maybe just throw the whole lot out and start again?"

He rolled his eyes.

"One thing's for sure, you need a bigger bed, wolf-boy!" I said.

"Yeah, I noticed you were too big for it," he smirked.

A flash of heat ran over my face as I knew I was blushing. "Oh that… Well, I just… didn't feel safe in the dark…" I said quietly, my embarrassment showing through.

He came gracefully to my side and pulled me gently into his embrace. "I will always keep you safe," he said with tender conviction. "I'll do anything to protect you."

My face melted softly to a smile. "I thought I didn't need protecting," I said quietly against his bare shoulder.

"You know what I mean," he said as his arms held me in an embrace that banished all thoughts of harm from me. "Whatever we face, we'll face it together." I looked into his eyes. The energy danced within their sapphire depths. A warm thought swept over me and stuck. Now was as good a time as any.

I drew my head closer to him, noticing with glee the confused look in his eyes as I didn't stop. Instead, I turned my head slightly and my lips met his as he stifled a surprised gasp. But he got the drift quickly enough, and returned the gesture.

As kisses went, it wasn't bad at all. I could tell he had little experience, so I kept it simple. I wrapped my arms around his neck as he held me, both of us locked in that wonderful moment for a long time. I could smell the forest in his hair, seemingly forever embedded in him along with the scents of everywhere we'd been. Through his bare torso, I could feel his heart beating quicker; right in front of me was the heart of a warrior, so unfazable in battle, so steady, and now it hammered within him. His skin grew beautifully warm, seeming to glow with his feelings.

Nothing mattered to me as we both stood there. For how long, neither of us cared. But eventually, he so carefully broke the kiss for air. He looked at me, then shied away, blushing.

I dropped my arms slowly from his neck and nestled against his shoulder again. "Pretty good for a first kiss," I breathed.

"I love you, Midna. And I always will," he whispered.

"I love you too."

We held another moment in that embrace, before I became aware of the day marching away from us. We had things to do. A part of me began to yell that I wasted enough time. And though I knew there was time, it was no excuse. These were my people, at the mercy of a tyrant.

My duty was to them, but at the same time, Link was my only hope. I couldn't ask him to come with me on a quest that could so easily be his last. He'd faced the King of Evil before, but this time the odds were against him. This time, we would be forced to face him within his own all-consuming darkness. And all that we had to go on was a legend more ancient than anything I knew, and the account of a long-dead sorceress.

I'd asked a lot of him in the past, but I couldn't just throw him into this one. He had sacrificed so much, he needed something to live for.

I gave him the gentlest of nudges and pulled carefully out of his embrace to float before him. "What do you think, ready to go roast Ganondorf over an open fire?"

He hesitated. "There's something I want to do first."

"What?"

"See the villagers," he said honestly.

"What for? There's something a little more important than wrangling goats, remember?" I said quietly, trying not to sound too forceful.

"Ha, that's why," he grinned. "Given the number of times I nearly died on our last quest and, er," he paused awkwardly, "the fact that you actually **did**," I winced, "I'd like to at least tell them what I want read out at my funeral."

There was a pause between us, before I burst out laughing.

"Hey, I just want them to know that I was selfless, heroic and fought to protect those I love!"

I summoned a piece of paper out of my pocket and feigned writing on it with an invisible pencil.

"What're you writing there?" He grinned, playing along.

"The script I want read out at mine, which will doubtless be immediately after yours!" I grinned widely. "So far, I've got, _'In addition to all Link has said about himself, I would like all his annoying little habits to be known. Firstly, he often whimpers in his sleep. Then there's his affinity for sticks…'_"

My grin reached its largest when Link went bright red. "What are you going to have on your tombstone?" I laughed, pocketing the paper and miming writing in the air. _"Here lies Link. Killed by an act of even greater stupidity than usual!"_

"What's yours going to say?" He retorted. _"Here lies Midna, played the 'princess-in-distress' card one too many times?_"

I curled my lip in mock irritation. "Keep this up, wolf-boy," I said playfully, "and yours will end up on a flower-pot reading, _'this is all we could find of him after __**she**__ got through with him!'_"

He went very quiet at that thought. I smiled. "Of course, go see them. We've got time, but the more we waste, the stronger he could get," I said, turning serious.

He hesitated again. "Would…" he tried. "Would you… like to meet them?"

I paused. He'd asked me back in the castle, but I hadn't taken him seriously. "What for?" I asked.

"I just… I'd like to tell them about everything we did. I'd like them to understand what we went through. The whole world would still be drenched in Twilight if it weren't for us… for you…"

I decided not mention the Twili tradition of 'meeting the parents' that this reminded me of; he'd told me of his childhood and I knew it was a sore topic. But such an act was considered an honour in the Twilight, to be considered worthy of the approval of the other's parents. I wanted to say yes. "What would they think of me?" I asked, my spirits falling as I looked myself over. "I look like a monster. They'll be scared of me."

"I'd never force you, only if you want to. But I think they'll understand," he said kindly.

I gave a wry smile. "How about I jump in your shadow and see how they react if you tell them?"

My light adopted a warm smile. "That'd be okay."

I nodded, and flexed my powers as I jumped; to him, he would see my form become black before him and streak down to the ground to merge with the shadow at his feet.

I could never see much from this position; his feet were usually right above me, but I could see out from wherever his shadow fell. And right now, I could see straight ahead of him as the sunlight streamed through his high window. He looked down at me; he could see my red eyes appear from the blackness at his feet, so I met eyes with him and nodded.

"Okay down there?" He checked.

"Yep, now get your shirt on and let's go," I instructed.

He spun around and climbed back up to his bed, pulling on his shirt. I never had to worry about a thing in his shadow; being totally flat, I couldn't be hurt or touched. His feet falling above me never touched me, and as long as his shadow existed, I was fine.

He straightened his shirt and left the house.

(~^~)

Somehow, I felt better having her with me. In one way, she didn't feel safe on her own, but just having her presence near me, the feeling that I wasn't alone… It was just so much better for me. It took me back to our quest, where she was never more than a tap of the foot away.

Ordon was quite calm today; no-one had gathered around my house, nor had I heard any sounds from the spring. However, when I crossed through the hills into the village proper, everything happened.

"LINK!"

I looked around to see at least ten villagers all looking back at me. Rusl, Uli, Bo, Hanch, Jaggle, Talo, Colin, Beth, Peggle and Sera all ran over to me at once. And I stood my ground. I was happy to see them, my family.

I was mobbed by the kids; Beth grabbed me firmly around the waist and was quickly joined by Colin, who I heard say, "You're back!"

I ruffled his hair. "I told you I'd be back, didn't I?" I grinned. I looked up at everyone. "It's good to see you all!" I proclaimed.

Rusl clapped a hand onto my shoulder. "You were starting to get us worried! That was quite some errand the Princess had you running!"

A tiny voice just in my ear commented, 'If only he knew what errands you ran for your Princesses!' and giggled. I smiled back at him. "It was something I had to do, but I'm not finished. Sorry, but I'm not staying long."

The children gave a collective groan. "Aww, but you just came back!" Talo protested.

I looked at him. "Yeah, I know, but there's something big that I need to do, and I just wanted to see everyone before I left." If only they knew I was taking the opportunity to say some goodbyes…

"Link, m'boy!" Bo grabbed my attention. He had a questioning look to him, and I knew why. I smiled warmly and nodded firmly. He broke into a wide smile. "Glad to know!" He beamed. "Come on inside, you must tell us about where you've been!" He gestured to his house. I gave a slight spin of my foot in that direction, a signal Midna and I had agreed on to ask her what she thought of the suggestion. 'Okay, but don't stay long. It'll be midday soon,' the voice in my ear said.

I nodded to Bo and we all walked into his house.

With most of the villagers gathered around me, I began to explain where I'd been, sticking to the story that I had been asked to deliver Zelda's letter. When I mentioned I'd been to Arylus, a land some had never even heard of, I heard quiet words of amazement. I tried not to tell them too much; I didn't mention the Goddesses. But I wanted to tell them about the listener they couldn't see.

When I told them of Dalné's plan, they all leaned in closer, and quietly cheered when I told them I'd foiled the attack; I left out my wolf abilities, too.

All too suddenly, we were interrupted by feet on the stairs, and I gasped when I realised who it was. A beautiful young woman descended into the house.

Ilia.

Oh Goddesses.

What would happen now?

Everyone fell silent. Most knew of our supposed relationship; we were very close for all those years, and with a quiet cough from Bo, the gathered crowd quietly left the house, leaving me and Ilia alone.

Even worse.

As we stood alone in Bo's house, I couldn't look at her. I'd hurt her the last time I spoke, and it started to eat at me.

"Link…"she said calmly. Much calmer than I was expecting.

"I'm sorry, Ilia. I'm sorry for hurting you…" I said, still looking away.

"Link, it's okay, please look at me," she said softly.

I was silently surprised, but I lifted my head slowly up to her eyes. They weren't angry, but calm and understanding. Wait, what…?

"Link, I forgive you. If anything, I'm sorry for how I reacted," she said sadly. "I don't know what I was thinking." She crossed over to a chair and sat down. I sat on the one next to her.

She resumed. "I don't know why I shouted at you, Link, but I felt bad about it after I told Father. I wanted to apologise, but he told me you were going to leave, and I didn't want to get in your way." She shuffled slightly. "I spoke a lot with Rusl while you were gone. He told me about some of the stuff you did and why you did it. And I understand now. You really did save the land, all by yourself."

'Close…' the voice whispered.

She looked away and mused sadly, "I didn't see it when you came back. Your quest changed you." She looked back at me. "And I was the one expecting you to come back as I remembered you. I was the selfish one. The Link I knew never came back…" A tear fell, and she turned away. "You were right, my father was right; you as you are, we never would have gotten very far. So I managed to accept it, Link. You're still like a brother to me, but you have your new life. I was wrong to try and pull you back to your old one, and I'm really sorry."

She sniffled slightly. I put my hand on hers and said, "You don't need-"

"Yes, I do," she insisted, turning back. "I didn't want to let you go, but…" she broke off.

I caught her eyes, seeing a few tears within them, as well as acceptance. "Okay Ilia," I said quietly. And that seemed to be all I had to say. She drew her face into a smile.

"I know now you love someone else," she said. "And I'd be the one at wrong if I tried to get us together. I know you'd never be happy like that, and I want what's best for you, so…" she trailed off again. After a few seconds, she caught herself. "So… can we be friends?" She asked hopefully.

I smiled. "Ilia, I forgive you for everything. As far as I care, it never happened." I reached out to her and we hugged for a moment, during which I heard a quiet voice say, 'Hey, he's mine!'

I was about to shrug it off when Ilia said, "Did you say something?"

Uh-oh.

"Er…" I searched for something fitting. But before I could, the voice spoke between us again.

"Yes, I said he's mine!" It said loudly and giggled, "Eee hee hee!"

"Who's there?" Ilia said, breaking off the hug.

"Ilia," I said gingerly. "There's probably someone you need to meet."

"Who?" She asked, slightly nervous.

"When I travelled, I wasn't alone. I had someone with me, and no-one could ever see her." She started to look at me as if I were mad. "If you would," I said to the air, tapping my foot quietly.

Another giggle of 'Eee hee hee' was heard before a shape sprung out of the floor and floated beside me.

Ilia cried out in shock, but I held her hand, saying, "It's safe, she's fine."

Ilia was fixed on the now-solid shape and returned to her chair. "Sh-she?" She stammered.

The form was now a recognisable imp. It spoke, "Remember me?" She grinned.

"N-no, who are you?"

Maybe she remembered my warning to tone down the dramatics, because she sighed and introduced herself. "My name is Midna. I was Link's companion on his journey." She held out her hand to shake.

Ilia looked scared, but I gave her a smile to try and reassure her, and she shook Midna's hand. "What… I mean… who…" She tried.

Midna gave a faint smile. "I don't usually look like this, but I suppose you could call me an imp. I'm from the Twilight Realm," she finished.

"The Twilight Realm? That means you're…" Her face broke with realisation as she pieced the facts together. She fell silent.

"I met Link when I came here to try and save my world," Midna explained. "Probably everything you've heard of his adventure is true. After he banished the Twilight that had spilled into Hyrule, he defeated the usurper who made our worlds collide, and killed the sorcerer who controlled him. We went through so much that we… well…" She blushed.

Ilia sat there absorbing the knowledge for a few moments, and without looking up, she said, "You're not a monster."

Midna looked taken aback. "We-well, thank you, I think."

"Link," she said, looking up at me. "I am so, so sorry for what I said about the Twilight…"

"I understand, it's okay…" I said, leaning close to her.

"And I need to say it to you, erm, Midna?" She nodded. "I am so sorry. I thought the creatures of the Twilight were monsters."

"What you saw were," Midna said heavily. "The heclic who stole my throne cursed many of my people, forcing them to serve him as mindless beasts. It was only because of Link that they were restored to their normal selves."

She thought for a moment. "You saved two worlds, Link," she said in quiet awe. I gave a small smile and nodded.

"I don't want to think what would have happened without him," my shadow continued. "He was so selfless and determined. He rescued so many people, and he saved my life despite everything I put him through. I owe him everything."

Ilia finally broke into a smile. "So she is the one your heart belongs to, Link," she said.

I nodded.

"And my heart belongs to him," my imp added, wrapping an arm around my neck. My smile widened.

"But…" Ilia began, but stopped herself.

Midna seemed to read her thoughts. "But I'm an imp? Yes, I know," she said heavily. "I was cursed into this form. When Link defeated the dark sorcerer, he broke the curse, and in my true form, I am very much like you."

"But then…" She paused again.

"It's okay," Midna said. "I think you can know this. The sorcerer didn't die when Link defeated him. He rose again back in my realm. He has draped an all-consuming blackness over my kingdom, a kingdom whose ties to this land I severed myself when I returned months ago. It was my own hand that turned me back into this imp as a way of fighting him. But then Link rebuilt the connection. And we must face the sorcerer once more."

Ilia thought it through. "I understand," she said with a small nod. "You came back because you don't know if you can beat him."

My face fell. "What we know is that something like this happened centuries ago. We think we have a way to destroy him forever, but just in case…"

Ilia's face fell next, to one of sadness. "But why, Link? Why do you have to be the one to do all this?"

I sighed. "The Goddesses themselves chose me, Ilia. They foresaw that this would happen one day. And they saw I was the only one who could save the two worlds. Neither land is safe while the other is in darkness. I have to save the Twilight Realm."

Ilia gave me a look of understanding. "If it is the will of the Goddesses, then it must be so," she said quietly. "You do not have much time, do you?"

Midna shook her head sadly. "We have a few days left before the damage the darkness has done to my people is irreversible."

Ilia was silent again, but finally spoke up. "Should I keep this from the others?"

I hesitated. "From the other kids, please. They don't need to know the danger we're getting ourselves into. And from anyone who would worry about me. I don't want everyone fretting for me." My head fell. "Especially if we never come back." Midna caught me eye with an understanding look.

"Don't talk like that Link," Ilia said in worry. "You're strong, smart and you can do anything. You were chosen by the Goddesses for a reason. You'll come back." She paused. "I'll try not to tell anyone who'll worry. Just… promise me this."

"What?" I asked.

"There's a fine line between courage and foolishness, Link. Promise me you won't cross it."

I ran through what she had said. "I promise, Ilia." I caught Midna grinning at me, and I could predict what she would say. "All we want is to come home safe."

She nodded. "Please do. I lost you once. I don't want to lose you for good…"

I rose at the same time as she did, and we hugged again. "Please come home safe, Link," she whispered.

"I will, Ilia. If we're right, the Hero will never be needed again," I whispered back.

She broke the hug and turned to the window. There was no-one outside, and it was approaching mid-afternoon. I saw the light had changed. "We'd better get going," I said heavily.

"How are you going to get there?" Ilia asked.

"There's a portal to the Twilight Realm in the desert. Midna has magic that can take us there in an instant."

Ilia looked back at Midna, and now seemed acutely aware that the imp was floating in the air. "You'd better go, while it's quiet. Save the world, Link!" She said with a warm smile.

"We will," I said with a determined nod.

With that, Midna nodded too and dived into my shadow. Ilia looked confused for a moment, but accepted it and gave me one last hug before I left the house. I walked in silence to the spring, checked my pack for everything I needed and tapped my foot. Midna sprung out of my shadow as I morphed in the seclusion of the spring. Much to my surprise, she didn't thump onto my back, but instead climbed carefully onto me. I looked around to see her smile. I grinned; all it took was a kiss…

And with that, our bodies broke into black and swirled into the void.

* * *

Another first in this scene - first kiss! :) Sadly not based on personal experience as I have none :'( Ah well.  
Update: after consulting with a friend, I expanded the kiss scene by a few sentences, and made some very minor revisions to a couple of sentences.  
I took note of the fact that Ilia overreacted in chapter 2. I am very tempted to rewrite it, especially having read Jippers' hilarious parody of the scene and noticing FAR too many clichés, but for now, I guess I thought it was better to have Ilia and Link return to their close-but-not-intimate relationship. I thought it'd be easier than have her and Midna at war! XD  
Anyways, I've got some ideas for the next chapter, so I might get to work on that. What will result? You'll have to find out :)  
Until next time!


	24. Part 4 Interlude: SendOff

Updated 01/02/2010 5:30PM  
Well, so much for my interludes being less than 1,000 words! Looks like Part 3's actually the odd one out, though that one to me just _worked_.  
I've taken a lot of notice of the feedback I've received for recent chapters, especially from I3theImp and ConGie. I'll admit, I've been getting too heavy on the romance and getting way too complacent with this. Not that I take it too seriously, but I guess I wasn't putting enough effort into my work. Zel's right; it was starting to drag already. I had the idea for chapter 21 such that it would fit in with the general theme of Part 3, but I know you're all waiting for the quest to defeat evil. As such, I present the beginning of Part 4: The Age of Darkness, or if you prefer, Part 4: The Lead-up to the Ultimate Ass-Kicking! I'll say thanks to Zel, Ninja, ConGie and I3theImp for their great reviews! To all newcomers, I say, welcome, I love receiving emails telling me my story's been fave'd/alerted! However, I love alerts saying I've got a review even more, so please, take a few minutes to drop me a line, if only to say you really like or you really don't. I read every comment that gets left and I act on most of them.  
With that in mind, enjoy!

* * *

Part 4 Interlude  
Send-Off

"Now either someone's redecorated or this isn't the Arbiter's Grounds," Midna said frankly as she settled onto my back. I agreed with the latter.

This was Hyrule Field, just outside the town.

I caught sight of some children playing on the bridge and dashed out of sight. My face broke into a grin as I heard Midna gasp at my burst of speed.

"Okay buster, was this your doing?" She said when I stopped to morph.

I paused, but nudged her and she floated off my back. I morphed, feeling my limbs return to normal and the heat on my hand. "I think I did," I said, staring at my glowing Triforce. "All afternoon, I've been feeling like Zelda was calling to me."

"What, in your head?" She asked.

"Yeah. I think she's got something to tell us before we go."

"Oo, you've got a nerve hijacking my warp, buster," she said playfully, nudging my shoulder. "But maybe she does want to tell us something."

I turned back and walked over the bridge. The three young children, two girls and a boy, watched us intently as we approached them. They didn't say anything as we passed, though they seemed to be transfixed by Midna.

My shadow adopted my shoulder as her perch again as we approached the castle. The guards once more allowed us through without question, and I met with Pellen, who directed us to the Throne Room.

As we ascended the stairs to the Princess, I struggled not to think of the last time I had been here. Where all of my effort had been for nothing…

At the far end of the immense hall were the Thrones. Only one held a Royal. Princess Zelda looked up at me as I approached the door. Her gaze beckoned me into the near-empty Throne Room. I walked down the elegant carpet and knelt before her. I knew it would be impolite not to bow before a Royal on the Throne. In private was another matter.

"You may rise, Link, Midna," she said without irritation. "I am pleased you heard my call."

I rose to my feet. "I was surprised to hear it, Princess. How did you do it?"

She lifted her hand to show her Triforce piece. "The pieces of the Triforce are all connected. When one has the proper skill, it is possible to send quiet messages to another."

"Tell _him_ to go to Tessek, would you Link?" Midna whispered to me.

"Why have you summoned me, Princess?" I asked.

"I have some important information for you, which we will discuss in private. Please," she motioned as she stood, leading us into a room off the Throne Room. It was sparse, holding a table, two chairs and an empty fireplace. Its wide windows opened over the castle courtyard.

"Please, take a seat," Zelda offered.

"With respect, Zelda," I chanced, as we were alone. "I'd prefer to stand. We need to get going after all."

"Yes, we do indeed," she echoed, a knowing glint in her eye.

"Wha- no! You can't be thinking-" I said as I realised.

"Yes, I can," she cut in smoothly. "I fully intend to accompany you to the Arbiter's Grounds. But not into the Twilight Realm."

My face reflected my confusion. "But why?"

She smiled softly. "Link, you told me that you closed the portal by aiming the Mirror away from the Void Stone. I assume you would simply have reopened the portal and gone through?"

"Yes…" I said cautiously.

"And what then?"

"Tried the merging-magic idea?" I offered.

She gave a quiet laugh. "I am very glad I managed to bring you here, because you have given no thought to the portal being able to bring things back _from_ the Twilight Realm, am I correct?"

In a few seconds, it dawned on me what she was getting at. "Oh…"

"Though I have high hopes that Falrue's account is true, it would be prudent _not_ to leave the door open to allow our greatest enemy the chance to re-enter this world, correct?"

"I never give you enough credit for how smart you are," Midna smiled. "Though I was going to deactivate the portal when we got through anyway."

"Using magic?" Zelda confirmed.

"Yes, why?"

"Because the same magic is quite likely known to the Dark King," Zelda said firmly. "And even if not, it would require little effort on his part to discover it. The only way to ensure this realm does not fall is to close the portal in the same manner as it currently rests."

"But then, how do we get back?" I said, slightly nervous at being trapped.

"Link, the connection between the pieces of the Triforce knows no bounds. It is this connection that inevitably draws all three bearers together. I believe that, even with your limited experience of magic, you can call upon its ability to communicate to me."

"I think I get it," Midna said. "We go through, you close the portal and wait for Link's signal to reopen it."

"Precisely," Zelda said.

"Are you sure, Zelda? This has 'bad idea' written all over it to me," I said cautiously.

"How so?"

"The Mirror is as close as we can get to him, and that means putting you right on the front line if something goes wrong."

"In such an event, its cause will spill out into the lands rapidly. The rest of Hyrule, including myself, would quickly fall to him in either case. But if I am with you, I may be able to do something about it. However, I have confidence that it will not come to that." She paused. "And since the portal must be closed, whatever happens, I am the only one you may communicate with from the Realm of Twilight."

"Okay, but this is a desert," I protested slightly.

"Do you think I am not capable of surviving outside of the castle walls?" She said with a smile. "Ever since the first rise of the Dark King, all Royals must undergo some training of unfamiliar environments. I believe I have taken them all. I will take sufficient supplies for a few days."

"What about your entourage?" Midna asked.

"I am with them now," she smiled. "I intend to tell no-one of this. For now, everything is quiet, and I may leave my Throne for a few days without affecting the land. I have informed everyone that I will be taking a few days off due to exhaustion, at which point I am free to do as I wish. And I wish to help you. No-one need accompany me, save you two."

"Not even a bodyguard?" Midna quizzed.

She gave her head a quick shake. "I believe I would be no safer than with the Hero of Twilight anyway, but I am able to take care of myself quite well. You need not concern yourselves with my safety." She gave us both a stern look. "He threatens both our lands and my people. My presence is of much greater use assisting you than here. I will do whatever I need to if it will ensure the safety of our worlds."

I gave a nod. "You're right." I couldn't doubt her…

Midna glanced at the window. "Don't mean to interrupt, but we are a little pressed for time," she said without looking back.

"Indeed," Zelda said. "I have set my affairs in order for the next few days. All I must do is change my attire." She looked down at her Royal gown.

I gave a wry smile. "Yeah, not really appropriate for the desert…"

"If you will excuse me. I will not be long." She turned and left the room.

"What do you think?" I asked my imp.

"That she's finally snapped?" She said with doubt on her face. "She's right, but that doesn't mean she should be doing this. Your _girl_friend put it best." She grinned. I frowned. "There's a fine line. And Zelda could be crossing it."

I sighed. "She could well be," I agreed.

"And what about this 'speaking through the Triforce' idea? Sounds pretty crazy to me."

"And merging light and shadow doesn't?"

"…Not to the same degree…"

There was a pause.

"You're right," I said. "She makes a very good argument and I can't think of an alternative that would work out. But I trust her. She knows her limits better now, and I think she secretly wants to get away from here, anyway."

"Ah, the desert air will do her good!" Midna laughed.

"It'll dry her out like salted meat," I said with concern. "Getting into the prison was hard enough for me. Staying there for a few days? I hope she knows what she's doing."

With that, there was a knock and the door was pushed open. A heavily-dressed figure stepped in. It wore a dark blue suit and its head and forearms were heavily bandaged. From what I could tell, it was a man.

He faced us with eyes that were barely visible through the bandages. He must have been badly injured, I thought.

"Can we help you?" I asked, unsure.

"Yes," He said in a gruff voice. "We should leave."

"What?" Midna said.

I felt a slight warmth in my hand and suddenly that faint voice sounded in the back of my mind. _'Don't you recognise me, Link?'_ The figure's face seemed to smile.

'Z-Zelda?!" I exclaimed, my eyes threatening to leap from my face.

The figure drew a finger to its face in a hushing gesture. In a smooth action, it continued up and drew the bandages off its head. Brown hair fell around its head and blue eyes became visible. It was definitely Zelda's grinning face!

"You-you don't look a thing like you!" I said in surprise.

She smiled. "That is the idea, Link. One of my ancestors was once trained for a catastrophic event shortly before the Dark King's rise, and although her training was never called for, the tradition has remained."

I looked over the clothes she wore. It was very hard to tell that she was even a woman – her chest was almost completely flat, and the loose-fitting suit effectively hid her curves. She was utterly unrecognisable. "I'm impressed."

"Nice outfit," Midna agreed. "Didn't know you were into such things," she laughed.

Zelda returned a smile. "This garb, coupled with my training, will raise my chances in the desert quite considerably."

"Would also make someone stop and think before they tried something," I suggested. "It's one thing to go after a princess, but like that…" I trailed off, unsure if I wanted to continue.

She smiled again and said, "May we get going?"

"I have a question," I said. "How do you intend to get there? It's days on horseback."

Zelda's smile vanished. "I know I have no right to ask, but I would appreciate Midna's assistance…"

"You want me to warp you to the Mirror Chamber, in other words," Midna finished. "Well, okay, but sending you out of the castle was effort enough. I hope I can send you there, but I can't promise."

"Want me to try?" I grinned.

Midna shot me a glance that suggested I really shouldn't.

"Link actually managed quite a feat before you arrived," Zelda told her. "He was able to use the Fused Shadow to send Orlon from Arylus to here."

"And at the right portal, too," I said, trying not to sound too proud.

Midna gave me a surprised look. "You are just a little bit more capable than I give you credit for," she said, breaking into a grin. "Feel free, Wolfy. At least then I don't get the blame!" She cackled.

"Very well, I will trust you, Link. Though could I ask one of you to bring along the bag on the floor under the table?"

I looked and saw a bag not unlike what I often saw horses carry. It was immense. My eyes widened when I imagined trying to carry it.

Midna floated over to it and examined it. "Hmm…" she mumbled. She backed off, and her hair-hand appeared again. The orange hand threw a spark of magic that cracked in the air and spiralled around the bag. Midna closed her eyes and grunted as though straining. She drew her limbs together, breathing heavily, and cried out as she threw her arms out. At the same time, the bag rose into the air, and though still concentrating fiercely, she followed it as she drew it towards her. When it got close to her, it dissolved in a swarm of black particles, which then flew to her sides and vanished. She opened her eyes and panted with effort.

"Thank you, Midna," Zelda said.

"What have you GOT in there?" Midna said.

"You will find out," Zelda smiled. "Now, shall we?"

"Need the sky overhead before I can do anything," Midna warned her.

"In that case, follow me," Zelda instructed. She replaced her bandages and opened the door, checking left and right before silently moving down the corridor. We followed and encountered no-one, before the stealthy Zelda opened another door and entered without hesitation. We walked through and out onto a balcony.

"Will this do?" Zelda said in the same gruff voice; it couldn't be a woman's voice at all.

The balcony overlooked the courtyard and afforded a view straight up into the sky.

"Yeah, this'll be fine," Midna said. She floated over to me, sat on my shoulder and dropped the Shadow over my head. I reached up to catch it.

"You know, I was only joking when I offered," I protested as perfect vision came to me.

Midna gave me a toothy grin. "I want to see if you really can master Shadow magic, buster. Warping yourself is one thing. Warping someone else? Eee hee hee…"

"Are you sure? I mean, the last time I did this, the person I was warping was on the ground!"

"It's okay, I'll guide you," she offered in my ear.

I looked at Zelda. I could barely see her eyes, but for a moment she dropped the false voice and said with total conviction, "I trust you both."

I breathed deep and felt out with my mind. The Shadow magic flowed over me.

"Concentrate on Zelda," Midna whispered to me. "Feel out for her form; don't embrace her, but just try and grab her, like you're holding her by the shoulders."

I followed Midna's guidance and was surprised when I could feel like she said, that I was holding Zelda's shoulders.

"Now imagine where you want her to go, and imagine pushing her upwards."

I focussed on the Arbiter's Grounds, on the Mirror Chamber at its peak. The image locked into my mind and I felt the magic flowing around me. All at once, it crossed the couple of feet between me and Zelda, and seemed to wrap loosely around her. My Triforce was burning; the magic was reaching its peak. Keeping my focus, I took a deep breath and followed the final instruction. With my mind, I pushed Zelda gently up.

I saw a glimmer of surprise in those eyes as Zelda vanished in a storm of Twilight particles, streaming up into the air.

I fell into a crouch, panting from the effort. Midna steadied herself on my shoulder and stroked the back of my head. "Not bad; she's probably there."

"Are you sure?" I whispered.

"She'll end up at one of the portals, if that's what you mean," she said in reassurance. "Anything warped around the land will be caught by one of the portals. Warping's one of the safest ways to travel!"

"Definitely one of the most interesting," I panted. I stood up straight and pulled off the Shadow before offering it to her. She took it and donned it.

Midna floated off my shoulder and looked around the balcony. "Hmm, not a bad spot. Probably make a good landing area," she mused.

"What do you mean?" I said, nearly recovered; my strength was being replenished as I spoke.

"I mean, it's a long walk from the field to the castle, why not create a shortcut?" She grinned. With that, the Shadows snapped out. My eyes widened in fear. "Relax, I know what I'm doing!"

"Just… remember the last time you used _those_ here…"

She rolled her eyes. "Means to an end. Besides, I don't need their full power, just more than I have." The Shadows began to spin around her. She held her hands before her and a ball of black energy began to form between them. Her eyes were screwed up in concentration. She began to stretch out the dark energy, almost playing with it; in response, it began to flash with shades of green and red I most associated with the Twili.

The ball reached the size of the Spinner and she opened her eyes, looking up. She seemed to be judging a throw. All at once, her arms shot up, propelling the magic into the air.

It flew a few feet up and hovered, before exploding in all directions. The explosion froze in midair, and slowly reversed, creating a Twilight portal.

Now it was Midna's turn to show the effort. The Shadows disappeared into her pockets and she drifted slowly over to me. I held my arms out to catch her and she nestled into my arms.

"I'm impressed," I said, staring up into the swirling vortex.

"Glad you approve," she whispered, sounding exhausted. "That took a lot out of me..." She was nearly limp in my arms.

"How come you couldn't create one like that before?" I asked.

"It takes all four Shadows and a great deal of effort, and when Zant's sending Shadow Beasts after us anyway..."

"...you'd rather have me do the hard work than make one yourself!" I finished for her, with a slight laugh.

"Hey, you'd get bored if it was too easy," she chuckled quietly.

I looked down and our eyes met; she was watching me. I smiled. "I think it was this moment, six months ago, that I realised just what you and I meant to each other," I said.

She smiled warmly. "I never did thank you for catching me."

"And you never need to. As long as you're okay, that's all I ever need."

She regarded me for a moment. "There was something you wanted to do in that moment, wasn't there?" She asked quietly.

I felt my face go red. "How did you know?"

Her smile widened. "I could see the sparkle in your eyes when I woke up. I know where I've seen that before now." She chuckled. "Well, the moment's here again. Don't miss it a second time..." She said expectantly.

Last time, my confidence had failed me. I wanted to, so much, but I just didn't know how she would react. I didn't know how she felt, and I couldn't risk it. It might have been the last thing I ever did! But this time, I felt so natural around her, so confident, that I did what I wanted to do six months ago.

I lowered my head as she raised hers, and our lips met again.

As we shared another incredible kiss, I felt the bond between us strengthen. That first kiss sent my head spinning, my thoughts criss-crossing and colliding like fireworks exploding. So many things had bombarded me in that moment; the warmth of her body against mine, the intricate curves and lines of her lips, her tiny heart fluttering as I felt my own speed up, the lingering scent of the Twilight Realm all around her... I was so overwhelmed all I could do was hold onto the moment. I couldn't even breathe. I had never thought one kiss could do all that, but before her, I had never loved anyone like this.

This time, I knew what to expect. My mind was still devastated by it. All thoughts of everything around me were swept aside, to be replaced by only what I could feel. I felt her arms rise up around my neck and hold on, pulling us closer together. She rose up level with me and my arms followed, flowing over her warm back and arms as I drew her as close as I could. I felt the thin fur that covered her imp body, so thin as to be invisible, yet so soft to the touch. She gave a quiet moan through our locked lips as she felt my hands come to rest around her. One of her hands rose behind my head and began to softly stroke my hair. I became aware that I was in need of air, but I didn't want to break the moment. I let my breath out through my nose, and Midna's mouth twisted into a smile as it played over her cheek, though not for an instant breaking the bond we shared.

For long moments, we stood there. And all I could think was that I held in my arms the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. Whatever came, whatever stood before us, I would live for her, fight for her, even die for her. It was finally true, what I wanted after she had returned to life. Those thoughts I had as we returned to the castle; she really was mine and I really was hers. This was the final piece. It had taken six months apart for both of us to realise it, but everything I had gone through suddenly seemed so small as we kissed. For this, to be with her, I'd gladly do it all again.

Finally, we tenderly broke apart. Our eyes opened into the other's, and I saw Midna's feelings sparkling in the depths of red and amber. She smiled in pure happiness, whispering, "I love you, Link," to me.

"I love you Midna," I whispered immediately.

With her arm still around my neck, she turned back to face the new portal. We both stared up at it for moment, before she giggled and said, "Okay, enough stalling, Hero, Zelda's going to be getting lonely." She turned back to me and flashed a grin. "Wherever she is!"

I bit my lip in panic; she let go of my neck and I quickly morphed. My imp settled onto my back and we vanished into the void.

* * *

I know this ends on the same note as the last one, but a lot will happen next chapter, so I decided to call it here.  
Moderate update: With help from I3theImp, I wrote in the second kiss above from Link's perspective. Apologies to all who read the old version!  
Until next time,  
Gargravarr


	25. Chapter 21: The Pieces

Updated 10/02/10 10:41PM, 15/02/2010 11:36AM  
Sorry it's taking me so long to update Heroes! Uni work is building up, and with my year in industry coming up, I might not be able to keep to even one update a week.  
I'll say thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! Sorry, it's nearing 1AM here so I'm a little tired to name everyone!  
In other news, I've welcomed a fantastic Apple MacBook Pro into my technological family as the successor to my old PowerBook G4, on which Heroes has been written until now. Amazing computers, and now when I type, text actually appears on the screen in real-time instead of a few seconds later! XD  
Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 21  
The Pieces

*

"You took your time," a voice said before my sight returned. When it did, I looked up to see the blue-clad Zelda watching me reform. Midna floated past my head, and I morphed back to two-legs, breathing a sigh of relief.

Midna folded her arms and smiled back at me. "There's hope for you yet, wolf-boy! Not a bad job!"

"I'm just glad you're safe, Zelda," I said.

"I would prefer you not to use my true name when I wear these clothes," the gravelly, masculine voice returned.

"What do I call you, then?"

"My ancestor chose the name Sheik as her alias when in disguise," she said quietly. "Though she did not require use of that name. Therefore, I believe it fitting if I were to take it."

"Goddesses," Midna sighed. "Is there anyone _without_ a completely different side to them?"

My head cocked to the side as I thought through this, then began to laugh – Midna had her imp form, I had my wolf form, and now Zelda and Sheik? This was fast becoming absurd. Midna laughed too and Zelda's eyes twinkled within the bandages. "Does anyone actually know who they are anymore?" I said, just to etch it in.

Midna's eyes seemed to say she was unsure. Zelda seemed to take the opportunity to try laughing in her masculine voice; it definitely didn't sound right.

We fell into an awkward silence. I looked towards the structure before us, in the centre of the chamber.

There was the rebuilt Mirror, and the black rock – what had Zelda, wait, Sheik, called it, the Void Stone? Yes, that was it. Both objects still filled me with dread, but for a different reason this time.

"Nervous?" Sheik asked me, following my gaze.

"No, just… anxious…" I said without turning.

"Such a critical distinction…" She said through a small smile.

I sighed. "Okay, I'm quaking here. I thought I killed him once, but now he's more powerful than before, and we're working from a legend that's thousands of years old."

Sheik placed a hand on my shoulder. I looked at her. "It's natural to be nervous, Link. Fear sets your limits, and will tell you when to cease fighting and save yourself."

I left a pause. "Right now, it's telling me I shouldn't do this. But I know I have to." I looked to Midna. "For both realms." She gave me a sincere nod, and I echoed the same gesture.

"Well, there is much work we must do before you depart. Midna," my shadow turned to face her, "please may I have my bag?"

"Oh joy…" Midna said as she slammed her eyes closed. She gritted her teeth; a storm of Twilight particles gushed out from her pockets, swirling into form in the air. In moments, the colossal bag had formed before her, and her face was contorted in the effort of holding it aloft. Breathing deeper, she set it down on the ground.

"Thank you, Midna," Sheik said sincerely. She crossed over to it and loosened its straps.

As the material of the bag parted, I saw more fabric inside. Pieces of wood and rope were strewn around inside.

"What's that?" Midna said, eyeing the contents quizzically.

"Did you not use one on your quest?" Sheik said with a quiet laugh. "It's a tent!"

"Oh."

"No, we didn't actually," I answered. "We slept under the stars most nights…" My voice became nostalgic as I remembered.

Midna came to my side and rested her arm on my shoulder. "Good times," she said with a soft smile. "But what use is a tent up here?"

"It will help keep out the desert heat during the day, and allow me some warmth at night," she said, beginning to unpack it. "I have also learned a few spells that can heat or cool the air around me, and if I am in an enclosed space, they will be much more effective."

"Then there's the sandstorms," I reminded her. Her head snapped up. "Oh, not that they're likely, or anything…" I added.

"You're right, sandstorms do not occur often at this time of year. However, should one occur, a tent would afford me some protection."

"You know, we could be gone for a few days," Midna suggested. "What are you going to do, just sit in this tent the whole time? I hope you brought a good book."

"Incidentally, I did," Sheik replied. "I brought a few books of law with the intention of silencing the gentleman who is still attempting to cause trouble." Her voice grew irritated towards the end as she pulled white canvas sheets from the bag, setting them beside the wooden poles.

"No wonder it was heavy," Midna growled.

"I find solitude is where I do my best thinking," Sheik continued. "It is my intention to construct an effective counter to his claims. Hopefully while I am here, I may identify some laws that require revision, too." She pulled out the ropes, in the process revealing the books and displacing a brown envelope. Midna levitated it out of the way of the rope, to avoid it being crumpled.

"What's this?" She asked.

Sheik held out her hand and took it gratefully. "It is the first letter I received from Orlon…" she said quietly.

"Who's Orlon anyway?" Midna inquired. "You've mentioned him many times, but I'm still not sure who he is."

I quickly explained his background, but left out most of his relationship with Zelda. When I had finished, Sheik took a breath and continued.

"Orlon is a very kind man, very much in touch with his people. I believe that, if given a calm age, there could be a future for he and I…" She sighed at the thought.

"Wait, have you fallen for him?" I asked quietly.

She sighed again. "I don't know… All I do know is that, ever since he arrived in Hyrule, I cannot cease thinking of him. He is a scholar and pure of heart. And he possesses enough courage to stand up to those he believes would do wrong."

"Not with much success, from what I heard," Midna said nonchalantly.

"I know. He has borne little responsibility in his time, and though he is not a great fighter, I can see his potential." She gave a quiet laugh. "From what Link told me, it was because of me that he stood against his own brother. I believe he feels very strongly for me, and that has changed him. Not much, but he has changed, nonetheless. And if a relationship between us would give him enough drive to change himself, I am willing to see how it plays out. He is a good and honest man, and he knows he could be great. If he is with the right person…" She lapsed into silence, save the rattle of the poles as the rope ran across them.

I glanced into the bag to see she had packed a few more things. I saw her thin sword nestled in its scabbard; it was not much of a weapon, but in the right hands, anything could be deadly. And beside it, I saw something that brought a rush of memories back.

Her bow.

The bow from which sprung arrows of pure light.

She was a skilled archer, and I gave a small smile as I thought no weapon was more fitting to fight darkness than light itself. If it had any effect on the Nothingness trapped behind the Mirror, that was…

"I do not intend to be unable to defend myself," Sheik said, noticing my gaze. "The Bow of Destiny may be my best chance if the worst should happen." She placed the rope down and drew the weapons from the bag. She placed the sword before her and examined the bow, before offering it to me to look at.

I took the weapon and felt it. It was very light, much lighter than my bow. Its string was thinner and seemed unable to launch the deadly arrows mine could. Nonetheless, I hefted it in my right hand, aimed up and drew back the string.

In that moment, my eyes were blinded by gold. I blinked it away as Sheik and Midna gasped.

A pure gold arrow had appeared from nowhere, nocked perfectly and aligned to fire. In my surprise, I nearly loosed it, but I managed to control my actions and slackened the string. At once, the golden arrow disappeared.

"I'm impressed," I said to Sheik, handing her the bow.

"It is not an easy weapon to use," she warned me. "The arrows are magic in their creation. I cannot fire many before exhausting myself." I noticed the heat in my left hand, and felt the Triforce glowing beneath my glove. The bow must have called upon it to create the arrow.

"Least you don't have to worry about carrying arrows, like someone here," Midna said, nudging me playfully. "How many times did you run out when you needed them?"

"Far too many," I admitted.

"That may be a significant advantage, but arrows are much easier to replace than magic," Sheik stated.

"Well, you seem to be able to handle them well enough," I said in reassurance.

"So long as I do not require the use of many of them," she agreed. She placed the bow beside her, lifted her sword and drew it. Its thin blade glinted in the afternoon Sun. "Ironic. With this sword, I surrendered the kingdom. I failed it. It had never failed me. I only hope it can forgive me."

"You sound like a natural, talking about your sword like that," I smiled.

"I was taught to respect the blade like a living entity. It is believed that swords are more than the metal they are made from. A weapon so purely designed to take lives is said to hold a power, one that it grants its true master."

"Sounds like this one," I said, gesturing to the Master Sword on my back.

"Not just the sacred blade, but any blade," Sheik said. "It is said that any sword may have this power."

"Just don't start talking to it, wolf-boy," Midna said to me.

Sheik placed the weapons aside, just within reach, and began arranging the tent pieces around her. "Could you two assist me?" She asked. We both nodded and knelt down to help.

*

It took us an hour to erect the tent. More than once, I had to fish Midna out of the canvas or untie her when she got tangled up in the ropes, but she saw the funny side and we quickly laughed it off. She did once feign strangling me with the rope, but quick use of the puppy eyes on my part caused her to almost melt away, and Sheik and I collapsed into peels of laughter.

Eventually, the tent stood before us. Nothing too fancy, but more than enough to allow Sheik somewhere to shelter.

"Very well," Sheik said, bringing me back to reality. "You need to prepare."

I swallowed awkwardly.

(~^~)

Link had demonstrated some impressive abilities, and I couldn't help but think it was the Goddesses' plan all along that all this would come to pass. He had learned to use magic, and had once united light and shadow in this very chamber. I was awestruck when I had appeared here to see the Mirror intact. To hear him tell me of his actions was one thing; to actually see it as the truth was another entirely.

It all pointed to him learning to use the power of the Triforce. It was the only explanation; the Triforce must have bled into his body, granting him magic which he was now able to control. If all went well, he would be able to exploit those abilities.

Midna floated down to the pile of books on the ground and sat to watch us. Link regarded her, unsure, but she gave him a look that seemed to spur him on.

"I'm ready, Sheik," he said.

"You must first relax. It is very difficult, but try to allow your mind to go blank. Thoughts may creep into your mind, but do not force them away, nor encourage them. Allow this to happen."

He took a deep breath and allowed his eyes to close. His breaths were deep and slow. He gained an air of absolute calm in a few moments.

"Now very gently, feel for the golden light within you."

He drew a few more slow breaths, but a few moments later, I felt my Triforce spark with warmth…

(~^~)

I knew it would be difficult to follow Zelda's directions. Magic, I knew, was about feeling, and it was impossible to tell someone what to feel. But I did as she instructed, and when my mind slowed, images began to flicker before my eyes. I saw old memories come and go, but I did not interact with the thoughts.

With my eyes closed, my other senses became more aware of where I stood. The heat around me was the first to become known, along with the silence and stillness of the air. I ignored the thoughts.

When Zelda told me to look for the magic within me, I found I surprisingly quickly. In moments, gold sparkled before my eyes and warmth spread from my hand. I could feel the Triforce glowing.

"Think of me, Link, and think of something to say to me," Sheik's voice told me.

I thought of Sheik, but realised it was Zelda who bore the Triforce, and knew to use magic, so I instead thought of her. I felt the Triforce sparkle, almost quiver on my hand as I did.

And then I was stuck for something to say, so I tried to pause and think, but the magic seemed impatient and threatened to vanish before I had used it. I ran back over what Sheik had said, and the golden glow within me seemed to reinforce. Still without something useful to say, I said the first sentence I could think of, loudly and clearly within my mind.

(~^~)

I finally heard a little voice in the back of my mind. It was very faint, like a single voice trying to be heard above the crowd that were the other thoughts in my mind. I pushed everything aside and focussed on that tiny voice.

_I still don't think blue is your colour, Zelda…_

My eyes flickered open. His were still scrunched up, fixed in concentration. Under his glove, I could see the faint glow of gold. I heard the message again, and then once more. He was probably repeating the words in his mind. I broke the silence around us. "I actually like blue, thank you Link, and it's Sheik!"

His eyes snapped open to meet mine, and he looked at me in shock. "Y-you mean, you heard me?"

I smiled, not that he could see. "Yes. Very good, I must say. You learn very fast."

"I try," he said casually, trying to pass it off.

"Ha, you mean Doggie here actually managed it?" Midna laughed. "Who'd have thought, the mutt's actually good for something!"

Link sighed in her direction. I laughed quietly. The tiny voice spoke again.

_When she finds out what I can really do, I'm going to relish everything I prove her wrong at._

I laughed again. _Perhaps you will need to save her life once more before she truly appreciates you,_ I suggested.

_Don't, I never want to go through that again._

Hearing his thoughts were nothing like hearing him speak. There was almost no emotion in the words he thought, no emphasis… What I heard in my head was very flat and unnatural.

"Hey, are you two still thinking at each other?" Midna cut in. "It's not polite, you know!"

"Since when did you care about manners?" Link retorted with a smile.

The imp threw herself off the ground to float before him. "Since I fell in love with you," she whispered, just loud enough that I could hear it. She placed her hands around his neck and he held her, and as I watched, they kissed, if only briefly.

As they ended the kiss, I cleared my throat. Both of them snapped around to look at me. "I think I see what kept you now," I said, trying to sound happy for them. I gave Midna a small nod. "However, whilst I am pleased that you two have finally become a couple, perhaps the circumstances are not appropriate for such displays."

"As always, you're right, Sheik," Link said with a smile which quickly faded. "So, is there anything else we need to know?"

"I believe what I have taught you will allow you to speak to me from the Twilight Realm. It may take time, but know that I will be listening."

"All right," he said heavily, turning to face the Mirror. "I guess this is it, then."

The imp hanging around his neck turned to regard the portal with him. "I guess," she echoed.

"Link?" I said as he stared at the stone.

He sighed. "You ever get the feeling that you've worked so hard to get somewhere, then when everything's in place, you don't want to go there?" He twisted his head to watch my response.

"It is natural to feel apprehensive about these situations. I believe it was you who told me that the future is uncertain for a reason."

In that moment, his face changed. Gone was the uncertainty, the traces of fear, to be replaced by pure determination. His sapphire eyes began to glimmer. "To live is to risk," he said to me.

I nodded once in agreement, walking up to his side as he turned back to the Mirror. He watched it for a moment, before saying with complete conviction, "Ready?

"Before you go," I said to stop him. He turned to me. I paused, unsure of how to tell him. "I had a dream last night," I said quietly. "I saw the darkness driven back by light. Nothing special, just sunlight. It revealed Hyrule to be untouched."

"What about the Twilight Realm?" Midna asked, floating up out of Link's arms.

My head fell. "I do not know. But there was something in my dream I have not noticed before." I looked back up. "There was music playing." Link and Midna exchanged glances. "The music was that of an ocarina. I believe it is a message." I reached inside my suit and pulled out a small bundle, holding it out for Link. He took it, unwrapping the protective paper to reveal the fairy ocarina he'd pointed out in the vault. "I believe the solution may have something to do with this."

He looked over the instrument for a moment, before pocketing it. "Thank you Zelda. Anything that means we have something else to go on…"

"I only wish I could tell you more," I said. "But that is all I can remember of it. And I have tried my hardest to see anything else."

"It must mean something. I'll try to find out," Link said. He turned back to the Mirror. "Let's go."

Midna nodded firmly in agreement. She hovered before the Mirror, taking in the perfect reassembly Link had done. Perhaps she realised this was his doing in that moment, as her eyes began to show a burning fire in their red and orange depths. She seemed as determined as he.

Link stepped up to the Mirror and placed a hand on its surface. He met Midna's eyes and nodded once. She returned the gesture, and with a firm push, he swung the Mirror downwards.

As the Mirror's reflection fell upon the Void Stone, I saw the black rock come to life. White shapes flared across its surface, and the Mirror itself cast a pure beam of light onto the black. The white symbols decorating the Mirror's surface rose into the air and merged into the Stone, forming the tunnel into the Twilight Realm.

Link stepped onto the activation stone, and the ghostly staircase appeared before him. Both of them ascended, but Link paused at the top step, turning to look at me. I had moved next to the Mirror, ready to seal it. I met his eyes and said, "May the Goddesses guide you."

"And you," Link said. With that, faces both set, the Hero of Twilight and the Twilight Princess faced the portal before them, and took the final step. For a moment, nothing happened, but I had seen its effects. That moment passed, and Link and Midna's forms dissolved into white, flying into the swirling portal to vanish.

"Good luck," I whispered, and prepared to lower the Mirror.

"They will need it," said a familiar voice.

I froze.

Pure fear flooded through my body, my eyes going wide and my mouth falling open behind my coverings.

No.

Please, no.

And then I was flying through the air. My back hit one of the columns surrounding the Mirror, my head smashing into it an instant later. As the stars cleared from my vision, I saw my enemy as I was held against the stone.

It stood between me and the Mirror, ghostly pale and thin, a ripped red robe adorning its frail body. But its face… It couldn't be…

Its arm was outstretched, fingers spread towards me, and on the back of its hand, I saw the mark.

It could only be.

It was _him_.

(~^~)

My vision didn't come back, and for a time, I suspected I was still in the portal. However, I knew I'd never been able to think while travelling by magic.

I had to be here.

But 'here' was pure darkness.

I could see, hear and feel nothing.

Everything around me was black.

"Midna?" I called. Or at least, tried to call. I couldn't hear my own voice. It was lost to the silence around me.

I tried waving my arms; I couldn't feel them move.

Where was I?

But then, I saw something.

No, wait, two things

They were so small, tiny dots of faint light before me. I couldn't see them clearly, and they did no change.

What were they?

I struggled to think. The darkness seemed to press against me, trying to conquer me. I couldn't block it out. I needed light…

That did it.

Something slid back into place in my mind.

_They were the Sols!_

I was seeing the light of the Sols in the blackness!

Without hesitation, my hand flew over my shoulder to where I knew it was, grabbed something I could not feel and drew the Master Sword from its scabbard.

Instantly, light flowed around me. The blade glowed with an eerie white light. It lit a circle around me, ten feet wide, my body casting a shadow behind me. And at my feet, I could see stone.

I had made it. I was here, in the Twilight Realm.

And then something moved.

I looked to my side. As I watched, Midna slipped into the light of the sword. "I'm impressed," she said, her voice somehow sounding very quiet.

"Are you a sight for sore eyes," I said, sighing with relief. My voice had returned, but it sounded like hers, like I was speaking so quietly in a place where sound struggled to exist. "What happened?"

"Meet the Nothingness, Link," she said heavily, rising to rest on my shoulder.

"Did you hear me call?" I asked.

"Yes, and I called back. You didn't hear me, did you?" She replied.

"No."

"It's as I was told, the Nothingness gets into your mind," she sighed. "It forms a barrier around you that cannot be broken except with magical light. Other light, sound, even touch can't break through."

I looked at the glowing sword. "So the light forces it back?"

"Yes. Think of it as a shield around you. So long as you have the sword, you're protected from its effects."

I tilted the blade experimentally, but unless I moved it, the circle of light stayed. "Right. Let's get rid of it," I said.

"Let's bring back the Twilight," Midna agreed. She slipped off my shoulder and hovered before me. Her eye scrunched closed and her hands came together. I could feel Shadow magic crackle around her as she formed a ball of energy between them. She looked up at me. "Well, what are you waiting for?" She quizzed. "Some light magic would be pretty useful right about now."

I bit my lip. "I… don't know how…"

Midna looked at me for a few seconds, collapsed the Shadow magic and slapped the stone helmet where her forehead was.

"Hey, I've never actually cast magic before!" I said defensively. "Look, I'm sorry."

"Don't be; look, just try and force the magic out of you," she said. "Feel for it and try to fling it away from you."

"Okay," I said, trusting her. I focused, banishing the thoughts of what might happen should we stay too long. I felt for the Triforce; its golden warmth spread through me, but it seemed to cling to me like a scared child to its parent. Try as I might, I couldn't gather it together and throw it away. I grunted as I tried harder, but it simply would not happen.

"No good?" Midna asked, sounding concerned.

"Argh!" I cried as the gold swirled around inside me once before settling. "No. I just can't do it!" Then something caught my attention.

In the blink of an eye, she'd conjured another ball of energy and sent it hurtling towards me! Instinctively, I dived out of the way, the sword crashing to the ground as my hands brushed rough stone. I grabbed the sword before turning back to face her. "Nayru! What did you do that for?" I said, my fear subsiding.

She sighed, hanging her head and looking away. "I'm sorry Link, I was just trying to provoke a defensive reaction from you. When an ability comes to you naturally, it is difficult to invoke it when you truly need it. It's okay if you don't want to talk to me."

I picked myself up off the ground and went to her side. "It's okay, I forgive you, whatever there is to forgive. You were right to try it; I was able to use Shadow magic in Hyrule Field when a Stalhound went for me. I just need to learn more." I wrapped my arm around her and pulled her close to show I meant it.

"I'm really sorry," she said without looking up. "I'm putting my people too far ahead; I'm asking a lot of you. You don't know how to use the powers you've been given, and teaching you could take hours." She was deep in thought for several seconds before she turned back to me. "Link... how did you do it before?"

I paused for a second to try and see where she was going with this. "Uniting light and shadow? I used the sword and the Fused Shadow..." I trailed off, hopefully now on the same train of thought as her.

Her face brightened slightly. "I've had an idea. We're trying to unite light and shadow like they did before, but Falrue was a sorceress and had a sorcerer to help her."

"And I'm no sorcerer..." I added. "So, try what I did before?"

"It seems to be the key to the whole thing. It worked once," she said.

It made perfect sense. I could have kicked myself for not thinking of it before! "You're right. Let's try it."

She floated up to my shoulder and sat on it, holding my neck and passing me the Shadow. "This won't damage it, right?"

I took it gratefully. "It didn't before. It's a pretty powerful artefact."

She sighed. "Now I know where it came from. Ironic, isn't it? We're using part of the reason this darkness existed in the first place to destroy it."

"I can't think of anything more fitting," I suggested. "He created it. Why not use his powers to banish it forever?"

"Let's hope it works," she said solemnly.

I knelt carefully, checking she was holding on tightly as I placed the Shadow on the ground at my feet. "Here goes," I said to her as I spun the sword.

"Watch what you're doing with that sword, buster, you'll have someone's eye out," she said with faint humour.

"Don't worry, I'm a professional," I said back. I raised the ghostly glowing steel and rammed its point home through the hole in the helmet. I heard Midna's teeth come together in fear as the sword approached it, and then her breath release as the sword stood upright within the helmet. I drew a deep breath and concentrated like never before.

My Triforce began to glow, its golden power building until it began to burn on my hand. Both of my hands gripped the hilt as though trying to squeeze it into a new shape. And then I felt it begin.

The golden light magic began to swirl with the shadow power flowing out of the helmet. The two powers, invisible to the eye, could only be felt. And it seemed Midna could feel the power too, as she gasped at the forming vortex of magic around us. I couldn't break my concentration, so I had to hope it wouldn't scare her. She gripped my neck tight, but seemed to be okay.

The magic, still two separate entities, began to whirl and thrash out of sight. I felt for what I wanted, the powers to merge and overcome the darkness. I closed my eyes and willed it to happen with all my might.

My hands both burned from the effort, but I felt it happen, just like a few days ago, beyond the portal. The two magics became one, whirling around us. I chanced opening my eyes.

I was disappointed. Even with the merged magic around us, the blackness was still there, seeming to wait with baited breath for the sword's light to fail. I looked harder. Yes, I had seen it! Right at the edge of the circle of light, the blackness was ever so slightly moving. Edging backwards, then returning. Maybe it was working.

My eyes slammed shut and I remembered what I had done before. I gathered the golden light within me, feeling the mark burn on my hand, and threw it all into the sword. Just like before, it was met with an equal burst of shadow magic from the stone. Ever so distantly, I heard Midna whisper, 'wow,' as the magic drew tight around us and exploded outwards.

The power hung still in the heavy air, and I opened my eyes. I let out a sigh of frustration.

The blackness was still there, unmoved. I panted slightly, closing my eyes in thought. Had I missed something? Was there anything else I could do?

No, I'd done exactly as before. If this method could defeat the darkness, it would have done so by now. I let out a frustrated growl and dropped my focus, allowing the magic to break.

As I opened my eyes to the blackness again, I felt something strange. The magic was still floating around us, not retreating back to the artefacts it came from. As I tried to make sense of it, I felt something else. I could sense the magic around me, like running my hand through a pool of water. What I felt could only be described as feeling a chunk of ice in a warm bath. It was very odd, and the magic seemed to be grouping around it.

All at once, the power broke. The feeling was gone.

"What happened?" Midna asked as I fell to my knees in exhaustion, still gripping the sword.

"I don't know..." I whispered. "It didn't work."

"Damn," she said. She looked around us. "I'm no expert, but that degree of power probably attracted some attention," she said with concern. "We need to get out of here." She looked up and behind her. I followed her gaze and saw the other side of the portal, its surface black. It was closed. "Any chance of opening the door?"

I nodded slightly and stood, enough of my strength back. The Triforce was still warm, though faintly. I hadn't expended it, but it was weak. With hope, it held enough power to send a message. I passed Midna the Shadow, and was about to focus on Zelda when something made me freeze. It was a sound. A voice.

A drawling, snide voice.

"Oh, don't think you're going to be able to go back, Hero. The portal is sealed, and your enemy is already there."

My eyes widened as I wheeled around to the source of the sound, the Master Sword outstretched in a perfect defensive stance, ready to face it.

"Holy Goddesses…" I breathed as Midna snapped to my side in the air, her hands outstretched and ready to cast magic. I knew that voice.

"It can't be…" she snarled. Crackles of purple magic flitted across her fingertips.

A figure strode into the light of the sword. A figure draped in an elegant red and black robe. It had a pale face and large, orange eyes. A black garment covered its head.

Midna roared in rage.

"ZANT!!"

* * *

Ah yes, the proper cliffhanger finally appears! XD  
I am aware that I am treating Sheik as female; this is because Link knows Sheik as Zelda, and very little will change that.  
Update: I rewrote the end bit where Link and Midna try to cast their magic together; I figured Link would at least give it a try. I ran out of ideas at the end the first time I wrote this but I recently found my notes.  
Update again: I had an inspiration while writing the next chapter; it became too difficult to justify the reasons for the events that happen next, so I decided it was far easier to rewrite this chapter. I added the end section where Link tries what he did in the Mirror chamber. Hopefully, this will set things up much better than what I had planned before. Again, sorry if this made you re-read it!  
Oh well, 'night all!  
Gargravarr


	26. Chapter 22: The Chess Board

Yikes, things have been manic the past fortnight! Sorry to all my regular readers who've been eagerly awaiting the next installment – I've had so much to do it's beyond belief! That, and this chapter took me ages to write for a very good reason.  
Thanks to Afterburn Tango (welcome new reader!), ConGie, MysteriousMidna and RiderlessWolf for reviewing the last chapter; also welcome to my new readers who've been working their way through the earlier chapters! Always love to hear new opinions on my earlier work.  
Sorry Heroes has stalled out recently; I'm finding action sequences hard to write, and having enjoyed writing the romantic scenes a little too much, I probably drowned the recent stuff in it. This chapter's more philosophical, though.  
Thanks to MysteriousMidna for commenting that my perspective switches can get confusing. Now, I still dislike specifying who's talking, but to make it clearer, each of my narrators now has their own perspective-switch sign:  
(~^~) is Link  
(~+~) is Midna  
(~|~) is Zelda  
If this is better, I'll edit the story so far to bring the whole lot in line.  
I don't know practically how far Heroes is from completion, though the second (of two) major story arc is approaching its turning point. I've had to set up a lot and trying to avoid contradictions has been hard.  
Oh well, without further ado, here's Chapter 22! Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 22  
The Chess Board

(~+~)

"ZANT!!" I yelled. How was this possible??

"You seem surprised to see me," the heclic suggested. My face hurt from the rage flowing through it, my jaw clenched so tight my teeth protested. But I could not believe what I saw.

"I KILLED YOU!" I roared at him. "HOW DID YOU SURVIVE?!"

He adopted a face suggesting he knew what I didn't. My eyes flashed and the Shadows snapped to my sides. With satisfaction, I saw his face turn to fear.

"You would strike down an unarmed man?" He said, sounding outright afraid.

I stopped. I had known him for many years, yes, but **never** had he shown fear. But I recovered and snapped, "Why not? You don't need a sword to fight anyway, just someone else's magic!"

"And what do I not have any more?"

"We know Ganondorf's not lending you his power any more," Link spat. "And it's because of you that he returned to power. We should kill you right here, right now for what you did." The sword raised higher, and…

And much to my surprise, its glinting edge came to rest against Zant's neck, and he made no move to stop it. He only looked afraid, almost pleading in his eyes as he stared at Link.

"Please… just hear what I have to say…"

"Why?" We both snapped at the same time.

As if in answer, he raised his hand to the sword, but didn't try to move it. Instead, he pressed the flat of his palm to the sharp edge, moved it slightly and pulled it away. He showed us his palm.

My jaw dropped, and Link's sword backed away, though still within range of a rapid strike.

He was bleeding!

Impossible. He was such a strong sorcerer that he would be immune to injury. Either this was a very clever trick, or…

"Midna." My train of thought snapped, and I glared at him. He had no right to use my name.

"You can sense it, can't you?"

"What? I can't sense anything!" I seethed.

"Exactly," he said solemnly.

I froze. "Goddesses…" I breathed. He was right. I could sense nothing. No magic in the air at all. Even when resting, I could sense a sorcerer's magic.

From Zant, I could feel nothing.

He was powerless.

"You destroyed my body, Midna. And I have to say, I thank you," he said, and actually sounded genuinely pleased I had. I glared at him in response. "I stand before you now as a mortal. I have no power of my own."

"How?" I snarled.

"You remember our encounter in the Throne Room, Princess?"

"What of it?"

"What I told you was true. My 'god' did not allow me to die when you inflicted that fatal wound. You destroyed my body, but the rest of me lived on. He prevented my spirit from leaving this plane of existence." He gave a weak smile that confused me. "I have wandered the realms for six months, dead and yet unable to die, living on yet not alive."

"Your death can be easily arranged," Link snarled. "Do you know of the damage you did? Two worlds cursed, thousands dead and injured, and you have the audacity to show your face?"

Much to my surprise, his head fell. "You will come to know my reasons in time, but I believe there is something of much greater importance that you need to know," he said solemnly. He looked up. "Do you not wonder why you are still alive in this Realm?"

I felt that icy fear take my insides again as my mind caught up with him.

Link's eyes widened. "Our enemy is already there…" He repeated in shock. "You mean…?"

"The Dark King, my 'god,' call him what you will. He is no longer in this Realm."

"Then where is he?" I demanded.

"Why, the place the two Realms join, of course," he said.

Had any other man been standing beside me, I knew, when I realised what he was saying, that the sword would have fallen to the ground. As it was, Link had difficulty holding onto it. "Holy goddesses…" he breathed, his voice quaking with fear. "The Mirror Chamber…"

"Not long after your arrival, he crossed between the Realms. It was he who closed the portal."

As I watched the glimmering blade, I saw a faint outline of gold through Link's glove. His face was scrunched up in concentration. Several moments later, it broke, and he looked at me, fear in his eyes. "I can't hear her," he said, hints of panic at the edge of his voice.

"No doubt she has her hands full," Zant spoke. We both wheeled around to him. "I doubt he will kill her. She is much more use to him alive."

"Why the Tessek doesn't he just face us?" Link demanded.

"I believe he will in time, Hero," the heclic suggested with a trace of a smile. "Until then, with you trapped here, his second return to the world of light is almost unchallenged."

(~^~)

Oh Goddesses, I had been so blind.

It had to be; this was his plan all along.

We were trapped here, surrounded by darkness, while evil incarnate had somehow managed to return to the light. Only Zelda stood before him, and my breath hitched in my throat when I realised she was no match for him.

"How can we trust you?" Midna snapped at the usurper.

"Because you are still alive," Zant noted.

I felt the bottom of my stomach fall away. He had to be right. What we had done would have doubtless grabbed Ganondorf's attention, unless he had planned for this.

Unless he expected nothing less.

"Why would he do this?" Midna cried. "He plunges my people into darkness and then runs away when we come for him?"

"It is far from cowardice he has chosen," Zant answered. He gestured behind us. I chanced a glance, my sword still true toward him.

He was indicating the portal, but I could see nothing had changed.

"Look hard, Hero," I heard him say. I flashed a glare back at him, then returned to the dark portal.

There on its face was something I had not seen. A tiny sparkle of light!

It was no bigger than the tip of my smallest finger, sitting at the very tip of the circle.

"Midna!" I said. "Look!"

She hadn't taken her eyes off the man who had wronged her in so many ways, but she too stole a glance at the portal. Her jaw dropped.

"Any chance?" I said hopefully.

She gathered herself. "There's a connection, but it's far too small for either of us to warp through," she said, thinking aloud. "But why? Did Zelda not close the portal properly?"

"It was not the Princess of Light who closed the portal."

We both rounded on him.

"Don't you see?" He seemed to implore. "He has overpowered her and closed the portal to you, but not to things far smaller than a living creature."

"Like what?" I demanded.

"Ask her," Zant suggested nonchalantly. I glared at him, before noticing Midna's face of realisation.

"Magic…" she breathed.

"Very good," Zant said. I ignored him, silently asking Midna what she meant.

"He's drawing the Nothingness through to Hyrule!"

Everything around me suddenly became very cold. "No!"

"I am afraid so, Hero," Zant continued. "It was his plan all along. He would assume absolute dominance of the Twilight Realm, building up enough power to return to Hyrule, and trap you here until he has dominated both Realms, by which point his power will be so great not even the chosen bearer of the Triforce could stand before him."

Without realising I had acted, the Master Sword flew up level with Zant's nose. As he narrowed his eyes to the blade, my teeth slammed together, a feral growl escaping my bared lips. "You seem to know a lot about his plan, heclic." My voice was low, edged sharply with venom. "Too much, if I didn't know better. So you're going to answer some questions. And if I don't like your answers, you'll be seeing that plane between life and death again very quickly." I twisted the sword before him for good measure.

"So be it," Zant said solemnly, his head falling. I was slightly surprised, though I tried not to show it. Why was he being so submissive to us?

I shook the thoughts and formed my first question. "How did you return?"

"When Midna killed me, I found myself trapped between worlds. I could see and hear, but I could not be seen or heard. Nor could I act, at least at first. Though I knew of the legend of the Hero of Light and Shadow. And Sacred Beast as you were proven," his mouth twitched slightly, "I followed you when you returned to the light.

"I watched you battle the imposter god, and though I had no desire to assist you, I saw an opportunity to exact my revenge on him for leaving me trapped. I discovered that, with extreme effort, I could focus my powers. I was able to taunt him at times, breaking his concentration just enough that you could strike him."

"You **helped **us??" Midna cried, her face seemingly lost between rage and confusion.

"More than you know," he smirked slightly. "I discovered I still possessed a link to him. Though it was very faint with his powers at their peak, I was able to prevent him retaking his form while Zelda restored herself."

"It was you…?" Midna stuttered. Zant nodded once. I noticed I was faintly shaking my head, unable to believe what I heard.

"Though I lost my influence over him, I was still able to act. When Midna warped you away, I saw an opportunity. You have wondered, Princess, why you can remember nothing of your confrontation with Ganondorf?"

Midna nodded slowly. The sorcerer, or rather, ex-sorcerer, gave a rapid smirk.

"There was no confrontation. At least, not directly. I knew that even the Fused Shadows would be unable to stand against him. But I could sense the spirit of the Shadows, unable to be heard by anyone but me. I gave it the slightest of suggestions at just the right moment, before Ganondorf unleashed his power."

"What did you suggest?" Midna said, humouring him.

He adopted a knowing smile. "To attack."

Midna caught eyes with me. I didn't know what to think, and she seemed to be torn between believing him and dismissing him as a lunatic.

"The Shadows unleashed their full potential in one instant, perfectly matching the false god's power for long enough to break his focus. The shock of the counter was what destroyed the tower, and the release of so much power, so suddenly, must have knocked you out, Princess."

Midna's mouth fell open very slowly. "But then…"

"How did you return?" His face softened. "I saved you."

Her one visible eye widened dangerously again. "WHAT?!" She and I cried in unison.

"With his focus broken, I was able to use the Dark King's power to warp you far from the tower. You must not have awoken until after his defeat at the Hero's hand."

Midna was stunned to silence. I shook my head again. I couldn't decide what was crazier – Zant's story, or the fact that I seemed to be believing it. "But then, the Shadow…" I began, spotting a gap in the story.

"Such a release of magic weakened it, which is why the pieces separated. I was able to recover three of the pieces, but the tower began to collapse before I could reach the fourth, and I chose instead to bring Midna to safety. He was able to regain a form and retrieve the helmet before the tower gave way. And with its power weakened, he was able to use his own magic to crumble it."

I had to look away. My sword had fallen without my noticing some time into his tale. There was something in the way he spoke, something that suggested he had no desire to lie. That what I heard was the truth. I struggled against it. This… this _creature_ had tried to kill both of us on many occasions. He had so nearly succeeded in taking Midna's life. No matter how much he wished to appear changed, that was something I would never, ever allow him to forget. My gaze returned to him, and out of so many questions I had, only one word left my mouth.

"Why?"

Why did you do it? Why did you save the one who killed you? Why didn't you help finish the job yourself?

Why are you helping us?

"What you saw of me was not the true me," Zant said quietly. "When I conceded to Ganondorf's proposal, he merged his soul with mine. And only then did I learn just how unstable he was. Years of roaming the worlds as a mere spirit, consumed by his hatred of the Hero who had forced his arrest and execution attempt, it had driven him mad. And only too late, that unstable power bled into me. I was unable to control myself; he forced my hand time after time."

Midna's face had solidified again, set in anger. "Make as many excuses as you like, Zant, now you've gone too far. Everything else? Marginally believable. But this? Ha," she spat. "I've attended enough trials in my short time to recognise the convicted trying to talk their way out."

"But that would imply I do not take responsibility for my actions," Zant replied.

Both of us froze. To me, this was completely unexpected. _He was taking responsibility…?_

Midna's jaw had dropped, his reply seeming to have stunned her to silence.

"It was all my fault," he said sincerely, not looking at us. "Midna knew it, that I lusted for control, for power. I would not believe it myself. Had I listened to her, this may never have happened." He looked up at Midna. "It was because of you that I did all this."

I felt an odd chill sweep through me. I did _not_ like where this was going.

Midna didn't seem to have caught it. "No matter what action you take, you'll never make up for what you did," she spat at him.

He gave a sigh. "That's not what I meant, _alzaknal."_

I couldn't understand the last word, but gained a good idea when I saw Midna's face change. Another chill swept through me. Her expression was pure shock. Before I could react, she launched herself into the air and shot out of the sword's light, out of sight.

"Midna!" I yelled, my voice dulling more the louder I made it. Without a second thought, I dashed after her, holding the sword before me to see. In its limited range, I could barely keep track of where my feet fell. Moments later, I saw the edge of the floating island, and skidded to a stop just in time.

"She will be fine, Hero," came a voice behind me a moment later. I turned to face him, my face set in rage. "She can hide where you can never find her."

"What did you say to her, heclic?" I said coldly. I raised the sword to him.

"Alzaknal means 'beloved one,'" he told me. There came the chill again.

"Please tell me that has other meanings to the Twili," I suggested. I felt a fire burning within me.

"Its meaning is the same in both realms. Think about it, Hero. Do you know why Midna hates me so?"

"Because you nearly murdered her," I snapped.

"She hated me to that extreme long before that, or didn't you notice?"

I stopped. I didn't know what to say. He was right.

"Go on then, explain yourself."

He walked to the edge of the island and looked over. For a moment, I thought he would jump, and the thought of pushing him did cross my mind, but there was something nagging at me. I just couldn't hear his words as lies.

He eventually sat down on the stone, his feet swinging above the oblivion beyond the edge. He stared into the blackness. "Midna and I grew up together. We were very close friends; she was the daughter of King Tul, a true Princess, whilst I was the son of a respected noble. It was long expected of us to fall for each other, and in time we did." He sighed. "I loved her, Hero, much stronger than she did in return, though there was a time when she felt for me."

He paused. I stared at him, dumbstruck. "However, the king died young in a tragic accident while practising magic beyond his abilities. His Queen had died in childbirth, and the Princess was deemed too young to rule by the Council. They decided that, for the good of the Realm, they would elect someone older as ruler, so they scoured the noble families and settled on me." He gave an ironic laugh. My face twisted further.

"There was one reason Midna did not feel for me as I did her; she knew how much I loved to be in control. And she was right, but I was so caught by my passion for her that I would not see it. I proposed to her, trying to force her hand by offering her the chance to be Queen. But she saw through me. She knew what such a role would mean for her, and she wanted none of it. She petitioned the council, arguing that she was strong enough to rule, that her age did not matter. And eventually they agreed." His voice had become bitter.

"To lose my throne and my love so quickly, I did not know what to do. It was after that when I ran into the false god. He got inside my mind, offering me to chance to take the throne and be with her. So blind was I by my own desires that I agreed without hesitation. And it came at a great cost."

He sighed again. "Ganondorf took over me, and his broken mind began to mix with mine. He had gone so long without form his power was difficult to control. And such unstable power bled into me. As time passed, I was less in control of my actions. When I took the palace by force, Midna stood against me. She saw me for who I was, and she swore she would never allow me to succeed. It was then that my mind snapped. All that power flowing through me clouded my judgement, and I decided she was just an insolent child. The curse I placed upon her reflected that thought, forcing everyone to see her for the child I felt she was.

"It was much time before I realised I had gone too far. But by that point, there was no return. It was as if I had taken a step back from my own body, watching from afar, screaming at myself to cease, but my attempts were in vain. By the time you faced me, he had completed his regeneration and departed for Hyrule. My efforts to wrest control of myself had broken what remained of my mind."

That explained a lot about our fight, I thought grimly.

"For Midna to actually kill me… in a way, it was a relief. My death banished his lingering influence, and I felt truly free. It soon became apparent that I had not crossed over, nor could I. I realised what had happened, and vowed to make Ganondorf pay for what he did to me."

He paused, gathering his thoughts, before sighing and continuing, "After you impaled him, I could feel he was still alive, searching for a way to escape. And in his weakened state, my connection to him was much stronger. The sword wound wasn't quick enough to kill him before he left his body, so I found a way to physically harm him. I finished off that body; I broke its neck, and though it severed our connection and all of his influence was gone, I remained a ghost. I later found out I wasn't quick enough when he rose again in the Twilight Realm."

This was so much to take in. His words sounded sincere; all I could think was that he was not lying, that he was telling me everything. It was still on the fringes of belief what he had supposedly done, but to me, it made sense. Barely.

"I followed you for some time afterwards, occasionally flitting back to the Twilight Realm to check on Midna-"

"What?" I interrupted immediately. "You could return to the Twilight?!"

"My spirit was bound to neither world," he sighed. "I could jump between them at will. Not unlike Ganondorf's ability to travel between the realms with his Triforce piece."

"That's how he got to the Chamber, right?" I concluded. "He was waiting for us to come here, then jumped to the Light Realm?"

"Yes," he said sadly. "And it is how I returned after I was forced to break apart the Mirror. With his soul bonded to mine, I possessed the power of his Triforce."

"You have to teach me how," I ordered.

He looked up at me and sighed. "I knew you would want to know, but I cannot teach you."

"Why not?" I demanded.

"Because I myself do not know. My memories of my time under his possession are dim at best. I could not teach you how without possessing a piece myself."

I stared at the glove on my low sword hand. The Triforce wasn't making its presence known. It felt like it was taunting me, its true powers a mystery just beyond my grasp.

As I thought, Zant gave a quiet laugh. My attention snapped back to him. "Magic can be a wonderful thing, Hero. Think yourself lucky that is all you have known. I have seen the true horrors of what magic can bring. They say power corrupts, and I know for certain that absolute power corrupts absolutely. I never wish to wield magic again. That is why I no longer have power to call my own." He stole a glance at my questioning face. "No doubt you will want to know how I returned."

I gave a solitary, firm nod.

"The union of light and shadow is an ancient Twili myth. Very few know of it; only those deemed of high enough status are even allowed to learn of it. Light and Shadow were more than two sides of the same coin once. They were a united, powerful people. Circumstances tore them apart."

"I know," I warned him. "I know what happened with Azréalus. Just tell me about the magic."

"Very well," he said. "The united magic of light and shadow goes beyond the boundaries of either magic. Its limits have never been found. When the magic is created, almost anything is possible.

"It is for this reason that I followed you back to Hyrule. I knew you had the potential to unite the two powers, but you had no drive to do anything about it. So for months, I sent thoughts to you, planting seeds of unrest that would eventually force you to leave."

I took a deep breath to stop me striking him down there and then. My sword twitched. _"You were in my head?!"_ I shot at him.

"No, I just created enough disturbance in you to force you to leave Ordon."

"That voice… suggesting I leave… that was you?!"

"Again, no, that was you alone, but a part of you that agreed with me. I could not risk taking direct action lest you consider yourself insane."

My hand clenched the sword harder.

"Why do you hate me so for it? My actions brought you what you wanted. I saved you from yourself."

"You had no right to," I spat.

"Even though 'it will never happen again' would not be enough for you, rest assured I could not do so again if I tried."

"That doesn't change the fact that you invaded my mind."

"Let it go, Hero, you cannot change the past."

As much as I wanted to hurt him, I relented. He was still useful, for now.

"You managed to do exactly as prophesised, uniting the magics in the Mirror Chamber. Had I been faster to react, I could have resurrected myself there and then. But admiration took me." He turned to me and gave a faint smile. "You have the potential to destroy him for good, Hero. That display of power was most impressive."

"Get to the point."

"Ah yes. I knew I could not try again until you united the magics again. And your attempt earlier was just what I needed. As I told you, Light and Shadow magic wielded as one have no limits. I took enough of your magic to recreate my body whilst abandoning my own magic. And here we are."

"Here we are," I repeated, glaring at him. "I knew I felt something odd."

"Were I to have asked, you would not have allowed it to happen, no matter my intentions," he countered.

He fell silent for several moments as I tried to understand how he had done it, when he spoke again.

"It was for her that I came back, you know."

I let the sword fall to his shoulder, the sharp edge against his neck. "Why?" I growled. "You have no idea of the damage you did to her, do you? You took everything from her - _everything_! And you nearly killed her, so many times."

"And she has every right never to look upon me as a Twili again. And that is what I wish." He sighed, still not moving his head away from the sword. "I saw the aftermath of my actions. All I wish is to be held responsible for them." He carefully turned to look at me. "I want to stand trial for my crimes. I don't care what my sentence is. I could have fought harder. I should have allowed myself to die rather than send so many of my own race to their deaths against their will." He paused again. "I counted about sixty dead. While I was a spirit, I visited the families of some of them. I saw the true extent of what I had done. It is what drove me to return.

"Midna is the rightful ruler of the Twili. My crimes against her and her people are unforgivable. It is because I care so much for her that I wish to be held accountable for what I have done. I ask only one thing of you, Hero."

"What?" I snapped.

He sighed. "Please don't kill me before I have a chance to stand trial. If it is decided that I must die, I would welcome you to be the one to enact it."

Something unpleasant grabbed my mind at that moment. I had played over in my head so many times what I might do to Zant if I had a shot at him. But every time, it was a fair fight, to the death for both of us. To wield a sword was to follow the honour of the blade. I could not kill an unarmed man, even if that man wished for death with all his might. No matter how much he deserved it.

This was nothing like what I had envisioned.

Reluctantly, I withdrew the sword from his shoulder and lowered it, its point facing to the ground. Somehow, I knew that if he intended to fight me, he would have done so by now. Perhaps he knew that he was no match for me.

_Or maybe he just doesn't want to fight any more._

"Thank you," he said without looking up. "All I want to do is make things right now. I know I did not love her, definitely not as you do, so all I want is to make sure she gets what she wants."

"That might include your head on a plate," growled a familiar voice. I sighed with relief as Midna flew back into the sword's light.

"Thank the Goddesses, I was so worried about you," I said to her.

"I can handle myself," she said casually. "And besides, I was only just out of sight. I heard everything you said." She floated before Zant, her hands raised defensively. Her face was so set I knew she was struggling not to kill him.

"Kill me if you wish," Zant sighed. "All I live for now is a chance to be held accountable for my mistakes."

"How much I would like to," Midna snarled, her hands generating a ball of Shadow magic. Zant didn't react at all, even as the ball reached lethal proportions.

"Midna!" I said.

Her eyes snapped up to me, and I saw a rage I had never seen burning within them. It went beyond anything rational, beyond what he deserved.

A lust for revenge roared within her eyes.

"Don't question me, Link!" She ordered. I suppressed a gasp; she'd never used such a tongue towards me before, not even when we first met. It was a voice of absolute authority.

She was in control.

"Midna, please, not in cold blood," I pleaded. "If you have to, make it count for something."

Her jaw was set solid, and her eyes darted back and forth between him and me. I could tell it was tearing her apart inside, the ancient conflict of right and wrong. Both sides were right, and both were wrong this time. She deserved every right to kill him right here and now for what he had done. At the same time, for her to strike him down, to give him, the criminal, what he wished, now that made no sense to me.

She closed her eyes and drew a deep breath. As she opened her eyes, she released her breath slowly, looking at the pitiful excuse for a Twili sitting before her. She looked away from both of us, collapsing the ball of magic as she did.

"I'm sorry, both of you. Link, you're right. I can't do it, no matter how much I want to. He deserves a fair trial, and he will get one." She turned to me and our eyes locked. "I'm sorry…" she whispered, her voice so barely audible even in the silence around us.

"Don't be," I reassured her.

She turned back to Zant. "You truly did love me once, if you did this for me. I can never, ever forgive you for what you have done. But know that I respect your decision."

Zant remained seated on the edge of the island, his gaze fixed on the darkness before him. Without looking away, he whispered something so quiet, even my wolf ears struggled to pick out the words.

"Thank you, Your Highness."

Midna nodded to him, and snapped her fingers. Black ropes appeared from nowhere and flowed over Zant's body, binding his arms and legs together. All through it, he made no show of resistance.

When the magic ropes ceased their movements, he spoke again. "If I may have one final wish, Princess?"

"What is it?" Midna asked.

"I wish to tell you more of the myth of Light and Shadow. I believe I know why your attempt failed."

Midna floated before him, listening intently. "Continue."

"Truly unifying Light and Shadow cannot be done by one alone. One from each of the races must be involved. The original event occurred with two sorcerers. The Hero is no sorcerer, but his blade is magical."

"You're suggesting the key may be his sword?"

"The key may be his swordsmanship, Princess," he corrected quietly. "He may not be able to learn to wield magic in the short time you have, but perhaps…"

"Perhaps Midna could learn to wield a sword?" I suggested.

"Yes," he agreed. "By combining magic with swordsmanship, it may well be possible to do as you wish."

"Do you think it's possible?" I asked her.

"He_ is_ right; you use your magic through your sword," she thought aloud. "I believe I could wield my own through the right blade."

"Do you have a sword?" I asked.

"Royals do not have swords in the Twilight," she said heavily. "Until six months ago, we had no need for them." She resisted a glare at Zant, who still sat, acceptably bound, at the edge of the island. "I know of no magical blades in the Twilight Realm."

"There is one," Zant said.

We both looked at him.

"Do you remember your first visit to the Arbiter's Grounds? The great beast that protected the access to the Mirror Chamber?"

"Stallord…" I growled. And then my eyes widened in shock. "You brought it to life!"

"With the Sword of Twilight," he concluded. "It is a magical blade, perhaps the Twilight Realm's equivalent of the Blade of Evil's Bane, Hero."

"Where do we find it?" Midna demanded, shooting in front of his face.

His eyes finally rose to hers. "The Temple of Twilight, of course."

"Please tell me you know where that is," I said.

She gave a firm nod. "Less than a day's journey. Faster if we can warp." She pulled away from him.

"One final thing, Princess," Zant said. Midna paused. "You would doubtless try to go straight after Ganondorf with the two swords, but remember his true power comes from the Nothingness itself. Drive back the Nothingness, and you will defeat his power."

"And how would we do that?" Midna fired at him.

"In the very centre of the old Nothingness lies a forgotten temple. It is rumoured it was once the gateway to Tessek itself."

Midna gave a 'pfft' at that.

"Princess, what is the ancient Twili word for 'nothing?'" Zant asked.

Midna looked caught off-guard for a moment, but thought about it. After a few moments, she said, "Tessré…" as her face dawned to total realisation. Her eye grew uncomfortably wide very slowly.

"Tessek," I confirmed, my own eyes widening in realisation. "Hell."

"But Tessek's supposed to a place of eternal torture by demons!" Midna scoffed.

"Tell me, Princess," Zant said. "What is true torture, pain for all eternity, something to sense, or living for the rest of eternity in a state where you do not even know if you exist?" He paused. "True torture to those of us who need our senses to live is to be forced to live without them forever."

Both Midna and I were stunned to silence as we considered it. The thoughts scared me.

_He was chillingly enlightened to the concept._

Midna shivered. I gently placed my free hand on her shoulder; she placed her hand over mine and held it for a few seconds. She lightly nodded to say she was ready.

"What do we do with him?" I said, indicating the immobile Zant.

Midna thought for a moment, before drawing her hand up before him. In a swirl of Twilight particles, he vanished. "The Palace dungeons should be fine for now," she sighed.

I gently pulled her close. "I'm proud of you. You had every right to kill him."

"I know," she sighed. "Everything inside me screamed at me to do it. But there was one voice that said no." She turned to face me, pulling her arm around my neck. "That voice was you. Even when you say nothing, I feel like I can hear your thoughts on anything. You're always there, guiding me. I don't know what I'd do without you."

I hugged her tightly, placing a kiss on her cheek. "You'll never have to know," I whispered. "I love you, and I'll always be here for you."

She turned her head and kissed my cheek. "I love you too," she whispered. She hugged my neck for a moment, before meeting my eyes. "Let's go find that temple."

I gave a faint smile. "Just like old times."

* * *

Writing Zant in as a would-be good guy is what took so long. I've seen him brought back several times to be the villain and I agree with ConGie – so much potential if he changes sides. I hope I've managed to convey that here; giving him a strong enough reason was damned difficult. I also took some creative license with the later events of the game; I haven't played TP for a few months now, so I hope I remembered them correctly before reinterpreting them.  
On a side note, don't worry, there won't be a love triangle between Zant, Midna and Link. ZxM as they are will never work in my opinion. Plain old LxM all the way!  
Right, next chapter's mostly ready, so I might update tomorrow, if I don't end up taking things back to the drawing board!  
Until next time, this is Gargravarr signing off!


	27. Chapter 23: The Next Move

Updated 22-02-10 16:23  
Right, well, this did end up back on the drawing board, but I think Revision 2 helped. Sorry it didn't end up posted yesterday; combine the revision with a weekend trip in France minus regular internet and that's why!  
The action begins now, though there is some more expansion on the backstory from the last chapter. I hope it fits here; this should be the last bit of setup Heroes needs.  
Many thanks to Zel, ConGie, MysteriousMidna, Ninja, Moonlit and Seeker for their reviews last chapter! Sorry if Midna's reaction to Zant was kinda predictable; I might try and rewrite the end of the chapter if I can figure out a better idea.  
A word of warning; this does get a bit gory towards the end, hopefully not enough to necessitate a ratings bump. If it does, let me know ASAP and I'll do something about it.

* * *

Chapter 23  
The Next Move

(~*~)

I couldn't move anything. I could barely breathe.

He held me with magic against the column, six feet from the floor of the chamber with one hand. His other was outstretched in the direction of his gaze.

As I watched, he gestured at the Mirror; the ancient relic rotated around its mountings, swinging up as to face the sky, but he stopped before the Mirror's reflection cleared the Void Stone. The artefact came to rest, aimed diagonally upwards, the slightest fragment of the white portal remaining open.

_Why didn't he close it?_

As if sensing my thoughts, the frail body turned its head to me and chuckled. "Where are my manners before royalty, Princess?" He paused to savour the look of surprise I knew my face bore. "Surprised?"

"What gave me away?" I replied.

"Several reasons. I could sense your Triforce, smell your magic, I noted you carried yourself more like a woman than a man, and who in their right mind would be in this Goddesses-forsaken Tessek-hole, anyway?"

"And just what are you? You're not just Ganondorf," I struggled to say as the magic he held me with compressed my chest.

"My reputation must precede me," he chuckled menacingly. "Your irritating Hero destroyed my previous body, which necessitated my acquisition of a new body. Were I given a choice," he said, looking himself over, "this one would have been disposed of long ago. However needs must. Speaking of which."

He flicked his fingers. I felt several things moving around me and nearly panicked; they seemed to be snakes, but when I caught sight of one, it was a simple rope. Several conjured ropes encircled my body in moments and tightened, binding me to the column as securely as his magic. He lowered his hand with a satisfied look.

"Where is your Hero now, Princess?" He mocked. "Oh yes, that's right, he is trapped through this portal, is he not?" He gestured the Mirror.

I began to struggle against the ropes binding me, trying to cover my attempts to yell through the Triforce.

He snickered. "You will not escape, so save your energy. Neither will your Hero hear your cries for help, o Princess in Distress."

My eyes flashed at that comment. Buried rage began pumping into my veins, adding vigour to my movements. He raised his Triforce hand, showing the glowing symbol. "Power is more than capable of blocking Wisdom from Courage, I am afraid. It has many other benefits, like changing between realms at will."

"Why have you kept me alive?" I seethed at him.

"So that you may once again watch your kingdom fall, Princess of Destiny. How fitting a name, except that this destiny is not yours. Your predecessor should have taken this step, but another Hero stood in my way. Still, not to matter. The work will be done."

He was rambling, and I was barely able to keep track of what he was saying. 'Perhaps,' I thought, 'his mind has finally given in.'

His dull grey eyes fixed on me and he looked over my trapped form as I continued to struggle. "I have an offer for you," he began. I paused my struggling. "Surrender your kingdom, Princess. Surrender to me and allow me the Throne of Hyrule peacefully, or the realm of Light shall fall."

"What happens if I do?" I demanded.

"I will, of course, take the Triforce of Wisdom from you. You may or may not survive that, but your precious subjects may live to see another day, or equally they may not. It depends on a multitude of things."

"Like what?"

"How many oppose me, and whether they possess something I desire." His eyes wandered over my body. My own widened in disgust.

I gathered my saliva and spat straight at his foot, scoring a direct hit. "Never," I snarled.

"I must say," he commented, looking at the point the spitball had hit. "Very masculine of you." He turned back to me. "Sadly, I must now take that as your answer."

"Take it as you like. Hyrule will never surrender to you. We will fight to our deaths to protect our kingdom. What use would you have for all that empty space?" There was no sense to my thoughts; I was trying everything I could to stall for time as I struggled for the incantation. One word was eluding me.

"Surrender or death? Your kingdom chose the former easily the first time. Well, you chose it for them, but for the most part, they seemed remarkably accepting of it. After all, I think they would all prefer to live, rather than be condemned to eternal life in unbreakable Nothingness." He looked to the Sun. "Yes, your Hero should be feeling its effects by now."

I swallowed with difficulty. Had the Sword failed Link? Did I dare believe him?

What difference did it make? Without Link, I couldn't oppose Ganondorf.

But perhaps I could buy enough time.

"Once Hyrule has succumbed to Nothingness, the Hero's Triforce will be mine with little effort," he continued to muse. "After which the worlds will be mine." I growled in rage at him. "Well, so be it. Take your last look at the Light, Princess. Perhaps once a century, I might allow the Sun to rise for your people."

Suddenly, an incantation lodged into my mind. It was the wrong one, but that wasn't to say it was useless. _"Ardumé urdimé rasuroi tellos…"_ I chanted as quietly as I could.

"A Summoning Spell? How cute."

I froze.

He'd heard it.

"Now, what could you possibly be trying to summon to your aid, Princess?" He said sarcastically. "Why, perhaps this bag here will contain your treasure." He indicated the tent bag. Please, oh please…

The frail Twili body reached its arm down and picked up the nearly-empty bag. He roughly pulled it open and fished inside.

When his hand reappeared, my skin tingled. He held the Bow of Destiny.

Goddesses, help me.

He inspected the bow, trying to snap its thin arms and string, but it proved resilient. Curious, it seemed, he hefted it and went to draw the string.

"ALLUMÉ!" I yelled, feeling my Triforce burn.

It all happened at once.

As the word escaped my lips, it summoned an arrow of light to appear on the bow. Its pure light repelled the dark sorcerer like an invisible fist, blasting him backwards as the bow settled in midair. At the same time, the word that escaped me sprung to my mind and I rattled off the incantation. _"Ardigee allisu restom pyrus!"_

All around me, I felt the air burn like lava. The temperature rose hotter and hotter as I chanted the next spell as fast as I could. _"Fippaji arkan weero proto!"_

Instantly, the heat died away from my body. Nayru's Love sat between me and Din's Fire, which incinerated the ropes holding me to the column. In an instant, I was free to fall to the ground. I landed neatly in a battle-ready crouch, ready to face him.

The possessed body did not move for a second or so, but finally it rose. As it lifted itself off the ground, I completed the Summoning Spell. _"Ardumé urdimé rasuroi tellos tarrat!"_

The Bow of Destiny flew instantly towards me; I held up my hand and neatly caught it.

The Twili had risen to his feet. "Very well, Princess. If it is a sorcerer's duel you seek, a sorcerer's duel you shall get," he snapped. He began his own chant.

(~^~)

Midna guided me across the courtyard and down the Bridge of Twilight. I could tell it was an elegant structure, though whenever I tried to talk about it, Midna's expression seemed to insist I save it for when blackness no longer adorned it.

The Bridge was long, sloping gently downwards. Midna nonchalantly told me that eons ago, when the Interlopers were first banished, there had been a serious war. The leader of the Interlopers, Vergus, was blamed by the others for their banishment, though he was the strongest magic user of them all. The others banded together and opposed him, starting off a battle that reshaped the landscape of the realm. The most serious incident had dislodged a chunk of land so vast it held its own enchantments. It now hung in the air, over a hundred feet above the ground, and was the floating island upon which the Twilight Palace was built.

When Vergus was finally defeated by his former allies, they decreed that whoever could bring themselves onto the floating island unaided would be the ruler of the banished people. It was this that became the monarchy the Twili knew today. Eventually, the Bridge of Twilight was built to allow those without the ability to levitate or warp access to the Palace, though after numerous assassination attempts, an ancient King enchanted the island to forbid warping, even off the island, lest a would-be assassin try to escape. Thus, we both had to descend to the land far below.

At the foot of the Bridge, with everything still drenched in darkness, I began to see shapes moving. By the light of the sword, just beyond its circle, I saw lumbering forms occasionally cross into it. Immediately I froze, watching and waiting with baited breath.

The forms came no closer, moving silently around the light as if they could not bear it. I finally heard Midna gasp and glanced at her face. She looked ready to burst into tears.

That's when it hit me.

_These were Twili!_

Goddesses, were we too late?

"Midna," I whispered.

"These are my people!" She whimpered quietly. "How could he do such a thing?!" Her hands flew up to hold her head. "They're like beasts!"

"Shh, there's still hope, right?" I tried.

She steadied herself. "Yes, as long as they're still moving, they can be cured easily. But if they have stopped…" Her hands covered her eyes. She couldn't bear to watch.

"Midna," I whispered again, the eerie silence pressing against me. The Twili circling us made no sounds at all. "We can beat this. We have to get to the Temple."

Her hands grabbed my arm and she nodded at me. "Hold on," she whispered, her eyes fluttering shut as she concentrated.

I felt the sensation of being warped whole. In seconds, the ground beneath me had changed and the circling Twili were gone.

"That was fast," I said, impressed.

"You won't need your wolf form to warp here," she told me. "The Shadow magic is much stronger here than back in the Light. Your wolf form just made it easier."

"Okay," I replied. "Now where are we?"

"Just outside the Ancestor's Walk. The graves of our great ancestors are located here, beyond which is the Temple of Twilight," she told me. "Warping through the graveyard is forbidden as it is scared ground."

"I understand," I told her.

She nodded at me. "Let's go."

We walked in silence down a path as wide as the sword's light circle for several minutes. Eventually, Midna slowed to a halt, though I could tell we hadn't left the path. As I looked to her face, she wore a sad expression.

"What is it?" I said, taking her hand.

"It's… it's nothing, Link… nothing at all…" I saw her struggle to keep her face from breaking.

"Midna," I said softly. "You're everything to me. We're past keeping things from each other. You can tell me."

She sighed and looked slightly to her right. "We're right by my father's grave."

I said nothing; I looked her in the eye and nodded slowly. She squeezed my hand and floated forwards, off the path and onto the neat garden-like ground. In the ghostly light, I couldn't make out much as I followed her. Eventually, she stopped, floating before an enormous tomb, the kind we Hylians would protect from the weather with an elegant stone enclosure, but I knew nothing of Twili traditions.

Midna floated right up to it, her fingers tracing the runes etched into the stone coffin. I watched her lips move as she silently mouthed the syllables. The inscriptions were in a language I could not understand.

"He died young," she finally spoke. "Far too young." She looked at me. "He was only thirty-nine."

"Zant told me about him," I said quietly, unsure if mentioning him was a good idea.

"I know, but he didn't tell you the whole story," she said softly. "He was a good, kind king. The kind of ruler who inspired his subjects to excel, to be the best they could be. I followed his lead in everything I did.

"But he grew obsessed with the Fused Shadows. He was convinced he could use them for good. He devoted years of his life to their research, tracing their origins and trying to use the one piece we had." Her hand went to her helmet. "He never told me about them. For days on end he would retreat to his study and I would never see him. He wasn't around much as I grew up, and because I was a Princess, I didn't have many real friends. For a time, Zant was my only true friend." She paused.

"Not long ago, about a month before the invasion, he became convinced he could command the Shadow. He left the Throne Room, came to my room, saw me and kissed my forehead. He said he'd talk to me later. It was the last time I saw him alive.

"A few hours later, he must have donned the Shadow, but something went very wrong. We felt the shockwave all through the Palace. And when they found him…" She broke off and looked away, her breaths heavy.

I came to her side and took her hand again. "I'm sorry, Midna."

She sighed and turning towards me. "The Shadow's magic backfired. He couldn't control it, and it killed him." She paused. "It threw the entire realm into disarray, Link. Nobles began squabbling over who had the right to the throne. They didn't want an eighteen-year-old Princess, for sure," she growled bitterly. "The council pandered to them and swept me aside, and I hated them for it. No-one would help me. I had to arrange his funeral myself. What made it worse was that I couldn't even grieve for him. They all seemed more interested in bringing in a new ruler, like he was someone who could be replaced so easily. The councillors didn't even attend his service. He was my father, and a damned fine king, and no-one cared!" Tears were threatening to break though, and I gently pulled her into a hug.

"Goddesses, Midna," I whispered. "I'm so sorry."

She steadied herself and looked at me. "After that, all I wanted was to destroy this thing." She indicated her helmet again. "But somehow, in my grief, I got through to it. It began to talk to me, and I began to understand it. It told me what happened, how my father, in his overconfidence, had accidentally tried an enchantment that was too powerful for him. Had he succeeded, he would not have been able to control it. He could have killed several other people with that spell."

I softly stroked her hair. Words failed me completely. True, I had never known my parents, but I had never had to deal with losing one either. I was finally beginning to understand the little imp in my arms.

"That's when the council decided to bring in Zant," she explained. "He and I had been close for a while. We weren't really lovers; we were very close friends, and we'd kissed a few times, but we were never serious. I knew it wouldn't last from the start. He was a fun guy to be around, and he taught me a lot about magic; he helped nurture my powers. But there was always something about him I didn't like, something I could never put my finger on, and when he tried to make me his queen, I saw it then and there. The raw lust, the chance to have such high power and what he could do with it. And it scared me, Link, because I saw in his eyes what he was capable of. From that point on, I had to hate him. I had to distance myself from him, else I would be reminded of the good times we had."

She shifted slightly in my arms, looking upon the tomb again and sighing. "I convinced myself he had danced on my father's grave, but I went too far. The hatred I created became real in the rush of events after my father died. I hated the council for ignoring me and choosing him, the nobles for their petty arguments and myself for never trying to wrench my father away from his work. Above all, I hated everyone for ignoring the fact a great man had died. And I directed it all at Zant. It drove me to order the council to accept me as their ruler. I set the events in motion that sent Zant to Ganondorf. And when he came to take the Palace, it was that rage that made me stand against him."

She shook her head lightly at the thought and continued. "After he cursed me with Ganondorf's power, all I could think was that my mind had finally gone, that my appearance was the stress finally getting to me. But the Shadow fell out of my pocket." She looked up at me. "It kept me sane, Link. It helped me remember who I was and how I got there. I couldn't hate it for what happened to my father. When it saw Zant curse the Twilight, it willingly leant me all its power and told me of the other pieces. It told me I could rid the world of him with them. I guess I fixed on that option because I didn't know what to do."

I rubbed her shoulders and gently kissed her cheek. "You're amazingly strong to have all that happen to you and still seek your own answer. I don't think even I'd be able to do that." I saw it in her; the events immediately before the invasion had changed her drastically. She'd been forced to take matters into her own hands, and with no-one to confide in, no-one to trust… It all made sense now.

She gave a faint smile. "You're modest, Link. Too modest."

"Maybe," I said with a similar smile. "But that doesn't change the fact that you have to be the strongest person I know to come out on top of those events."

"Above Zelda?" She said, smiling wider.

"Maybe equal," I returned. She gave me a playful elbow in the ribs. "Ow! Okay, definitely above Zelda!"

She gave a quiet chuckle.

I looked up at the tomb. Even in the ghostly light, it was an impressive sight. Intricately carved, adorned with beautiful runes, it was a work of art. And on the side that faced me, like the headstone of a grave, was a small picture, carved into the stone. As I worked it out, my heart wrenched.

It was a stick-figure drawing of three people. A mother, a father…

And a little girl.

The two parents both stood proud beside their daughter, and as I looked, I saw the mother had wings.

She was an angel.

How young was she when she drew that? It was heartbreakingly beautiful.

Midna evidently followed my gaze, as she whispered, "It was always his favourite. I must have drawn it when I was five or six. He always kept it on him, wherever he went. He said I used to call my mother my 'guardian angel.' He gave me a feather once, and told me it was from her wing, and that, so long as I carried it, she would always be with me. I always have it." Suddenly, a white feather, probably from a Kargoroc, appeared before me. It was amazingly white, so pure, though the vanes had been crushed and crumpled many times. She held it delicately in her hand. "Whenever I hold it, I can almost feel her," she breathed. "Now I have two angels to watch over me…" She said, giving a tiny smile. She stared at the feather again for a long moment, before with a flick of her hand, it vanished.

"Climb on my shoulder," I suggested. She crawled out of my arms and did so.

"What?" She asked.

"You didn't get the chance to send him off properly. There is an ancient Hylian blessing for fallen leaders. It's more for soldiers, but I think it works for royalty."

She caught on. "Link, I would be honoured."

I nodded to her. I held the sword, point to the ground before me and sank to my knee, allowing the tip to just rest on the boundary of the tomb. I mumbled the ancient Hyrulean blessing as I had remembered it, word for word. It identified the fallen leader as a strong man who did not give up in the face of danger, but who pressed through despite the odds. It implored him to carry on, to find his way to the afterlife, despite the trials he might face, for his strength made him invulnerable. And finally, I ended the blessing with the Prayer of the Parted.

"_Though your body sleeps forever,_

_Your spirit lives on in every life you touched._

_You are never gone,_

_So long as we hold you in our hearts._

_May your rich life bring you peaceful eternal rest."_

Midna wiped away a tear as I stood up, speaking slowly. "That was utterly beautiful, Link. Thank you; it's what I wanted for him. I only wish someone would have said that at the service for him, if only you were there…"

"Then things would have happened differently," I told her softly.

She laughed faintly. "If none of this had happened, I would never have met you, would I? One event leads to the worst and best things to ever happen to me."

"The Goddesses have a very strange way of letting events play out."

"You can say that again," she agreed.

I gave the tomb another glance. "I say that prayer every night for my parents," I said quietly.

"Oh Link, I'm so sorry."

"Don't be; I never knew them."

"But… how can you assume you're an orphan?"

My face fell. "I gave up my search for them years ago. I thought somehow, they would have found me by then, if they still lived. It became easier to accept they were gone than to live every day with that hope, only to have it crushed when the day ended."

She slipped off my shoulder and drew me into a hug, which I gladly returned. "Never give up hope, Link. Sometimes, it's the only thing we have left."

"Sometimes," I echoed, facing the tomb one last time as Midna turned away to leave. A thought caught me in that moment that stuck into my mind.

_Everyone, even the hero, eventually falls._

(~*~)

The blast of dark energy narrowly missed me; I lurched to the side, kicking my legs up out of the way. I held a handstand for an instant before launching back onto my legs. My momentum threw the bow off my arm into my left hand, and as I landed, I had drawn back the string and loosed another golden arrow towards him.

Our battle had raged for many minutes, and so far had not gone much further than us throwing light and darkness at each other. Ganondorf's dark magic was slow and easy to avoid, whilst my light arrows were fast and precise, but even so, every time, he was able to stop them.

Much to my dismay, he again batted away the arrow, his hand coated in dark smoke. "Nothing can stand before darkness, Princess. Darkness consumes whatever it touches! Even light cannot hold against it. Take away light and darkness is all that is left, but take away darkness and light does not take its place!"

He muttered an incantation I could not hear; as I watched, more smoke formed on his outstretched, open palm. I readied myself to dodge, but he twisted around to face the Mirror. He drew a breath and blew the smoke at the Void Stone.

I watched with a mix of awe and fear. The smoke floated gracefully over to the Stone, but it did not make contact. Instead, it floated before the stone and began to grow.

Panic ran through me.

_The connection…_

He was drawing through the Nothingness from the Twilight Realm!

The black smoke billowed out, taking form as pure darkness. I reacted on instinct, remembering my tutor's instructions for magical protection.

I drew the bow again and fired five arrows rapidly, not into the air, but into the ground. I formed a pentagon around myself and channelled the Triforce's magic, throwing lines onto the ground to join the arrows. In moments, a five-pointed star glowing with golden energy surrounded me just as the Nothingness exploded outwards. I threw my hands up instinctively to shield myself, praying somehow for a quick death.

But death never came.

As I watched, the darkness took a solid form around the star. It blocked out all light in every direction but it would not cross its lines. The star protected me.

What got to me first was the silence. The blackness all around me blocked out every single noise, from the wind whistling around the columns of the ancient prison, to the crunch of sand under Ganondorf's shoes.

It was oddly quiet for a long time, before I finally saw something break the darkness.

It wasn't that old Twili, nor was it anyone friendly.

It was Ganondorf himself, exactly as I remembered him the last time our paths crossed. Fear split me apart inside.

"Zelda," the great Gerudo cackled, mocking a bow. "So pleased to make your acquaintance once more."

"How??" I said in fear, my mind performing a backflip as I tried to work out how. He approached the boundaries of my star, seemingly unable to cross. I saw the darkness did not touch him, as if he wore a thick, invisible cloak around himself.

"The Nothingness is my power now, Princess. The more it consumes, the greater my strength becomes. In a matter of minutes, not even the Hero will be able to match me, and since I do not expect him for some considerable time, perhaps we could indulge in a game."

"What did you have in mind?" I humoured him, trusting the cage of light would protect me.

"Who can bring down the other's defences fastest," he snickered. As my eyes widened, he chanted a spell so fast I could only pick out the sharp syllables. An immense charge of dark energy flowed over his hands and he threw it at me.

The ball of energy impacted an invisible wall before me, which flashed gold before it disappeared. The star had taken the impact, but it would not hold forever.

Ganondorf didn't hesitate, chanting again and throwing ball after ball of energy into my protective cell. I stood there petrified for a moment, praying hard for guidance.

A tiny flicker in the back of my mind caught my attention. Yes! That was a good enough idea!

I crouched down low, holding my right hand over my left as the Triforce glowed. I ignored Ganondorf, whose face I knew was turning to one of utter madness. He laughed manically as blast after blast of Darkness slammed into the golden cage.

I banished the thoughts and focused like Link told me he could. In a moment, there was only me and the task. Everything else vanished, even my fear.

"_Solus plurii acetan memno azahrag!"_ I chanted slowly, every syllable nibbling energy from the Triforce. I built up the chant, knowing this incantation was far too powerful for one round alone to enact. Five times I repeated the phrase before I felt the power built up around me. My Triforce ached with the energy. But I looked up, locking eyes with my adversary. His face was twisted with mad pleasure. My own twisted with rage.

"_PLURII!!" _I yelled, slamming my hand to the ground.

For several moments, nothing happened, though Ganondorf froze. He recognised the key word I had used, but now nothing could stop it.

And then it came.

Golden light ripped apart the blackness over my head, ricocheting off my star. As I watched, the Star Rain dropped dozens more bursts of gold all over the field of blackness around us. I felt each and every impact through the ground; the light magic drove back the darkness around me. Ganondorf stood frozen, unable to move. As I watched, a Raindrop smashed into the ground not two feet to his left. He didn't react at all.

_Come on, come on! So close!_

Several more impacts rippled through the ground all around me. Star Rain took so much magic, it could not be controlled once released. Everything hinged on one lucky hit…

Another burst smashed into the ground behind Ganondorf. Again, he made no attempt to dodge out of the way, but as our eyes met, he grinned sinisterly.

And then he was enveloped in gold.

A Raindrop the size of a house crashed through the black above him and surrounded him in beautiful shining gold. Pure light.

I prayed it was enough.

Seconds later, the golden burst dissipated. In its wake, it left nothing.

Such it should, if a human had stood below it. But this was the most powerful sorcerer Hyrule had ever seen. Had he really-

AH!

I gasped, falling forwards as red-hot pain enveloped me. I saw the lines of the star had faded, so weak…

The pain came from a knife wound in my back. It was lodged between my left ribs, and when I coughed onto my blue suit I saw blood.

No…

He'd wrecked my lung.

My only hope was to cast Nayru's Love again; it would heal me.

I never got the chance.

I was kicked to the floor as the blackness returned all around me. As the boot was held on my back, I felt the knife rip out of my flesh. I couldn't speak, I could only cough in agony, blood slapping into the sand beneath me.

I tried to roll, but the boot held me firm. I turned my head to see Ganondorf above me.

No, please Goddesses no…

"You should learn to recognise illusions, Princess," he sneered. "So easy to distract one's enemy from the real fight."

My blood began to gush from the wound, spilling out onto the ground around me. My blue suit was stained purple.

Why now? Why me?

Was this my punishment for my surrender?

As if in response, Ganondorf drove the dagger through my other shoulder. Fire burned through my body as my vision started to fade. Everything began to distort. My hand twitched as I felt for the Triforce. Maybe in his distracted state, Link could hear me…

His boot crushed my Triforce hand, though I was numb to pain by now, my sight fading. I just thought over and over again, _Link. Get Ganondorf…_

"What? How is this possible? No, it can't be!"

_Link, get Ganondorf…_

"Link!"

* * *

Revision 1 came dangerously close to having Midna as a Mary Sue, so I did a significant rewrite to try and avoid those pitfalls, and I hope I managed it. If not, I'll try to rewrite it again at some point. She is proving a very difficult character to get right.  
Things get really moving next chapter, and sorry if the end of this one is a bit ambiguous; later chapters will clarify it and hopefully it'll make sense in time!  
Update: Thanks MM for pointing it out, but I'd used arbitrary ages without thinking! Very good point that a thirty-one-year-old King with an eighteen-year-old daughter would have to have been far too young to be a father. Oops! Maybe I should think a little next time!  
Until then,  
Gargravarr


	28. Chapter 24: Light's Bane

Anyone after action has come to the right place! I actually wrote this chapter last year, would you believe, and it's been sitting on my hard drive ever since. One of the action scenes I'm pretty proud of, actually. And finally, I get to justify the fic's title. Only taken me 28 uploads!  
Good haul of reviews for the last chapter – great to see that even with the massive break I took people are still interested in Heroes. Thanks a bundle to Ninja, Guifi (yep, you reviewed before!), Seeker and MM. I also thank the new readers who are landing some fresh reviews on my earlier chapters, though granted they probably won't get to read this for a while!  
Anyways, without further ado, here's chapter 24!  
Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 24  
Light's Bane

(~^~)

We walked quickly past the graves of ancient rulers to the Temple. When we finally stood outside it, I surveyed it in the light of the sword. It was an understated stone building, marble steps leading up to its open entrance, a roof over the steps. No windows, and very little art adorned its outer walls.

"This is it, huh?" I said to my right; Midna had perched on my shoulder again.

"Yep," she replied. "Not as extravagant as your idea of temples, I know."

"Hey, a temple's a temple; if it's stone, ancient and draped in mystery, I'll crawl through it!" I smiled.

She gave a quiet laugh. "How about I go on ahead and watch for any danger?" She offered. "I can see straight through the darkness as a shadow, but I need to be outside the light."

"Nothing can hurt you, right?" I checked.

"No."

"Sounds like a good idea," I told her. "You ready?"

She took a deep breath, gripping my neck and shoulder tightly for a moment, before replying, "Ready, Link."

"Let's do it," I nodded.

She threw herself off my shoulder and in a rush of black, became the red-eyed shadow I'd seen so much of. She approached the edge of the sword's light, ascending to the entrance. She glanced back at me and nodded, before crossing out of the light and into the darkness beyond.

I estimated two feet distance between the light and her, then began walking myself.

I ventured slowly inside the building. It was bathed in hideous darkness like everywhere else in the realm. Midna floated somewhere before me, one with the black. It was nagging at me now; it didn't feel right sending her ahead of me, but she was right. She could see better than me; looking through darkness was natural for her, whilst I had to rely on the Master Sword's ghostly light to see. And when we were entering an ancient temple, no doubt protected in many ways, we needed every advantage we could get.

Even with the Sword, I couldn't see more than about ten feet clearly around me, slightly more than the width of the corridor. That put Midna about twelve before me, and if something were to suddenly leap out at her, I'd never see it. I kept telling myself she was untouchable as a shadow, but it didn't ease my anxiety.

The stone walls of the temple didn't echo sound like those in Hyrule did. It was unnerving to hear absolutely nothing around me; were I unable to see, I felt sure my mind would snap far too quickly. The Nothingness really could be the worst possible punishment; without light or sound, we creatures who dwelt our whole lives within it would lose our minds far too quickly.

Many steps in, I realised we were also making far too much progress. Every temple had a catch, a puzzle or a trap to slow us down. I had to trust that the Twili saw no need for such things. Equally, they could simply have fallen into disrepair over the years.

At last the corridor opened out. The room felt large, circular.

"Found it!" Midna called. "Straight ahead!"

I walked uneasily into the room, watching the floor and taking tiny steps as I tried to spot any potential hazards. No trap doors, no pressure pads, nothing. It seemed odd that such an important place would be left totally unguarded.

In the centre of the room was a stone plinth. I allowed my eyes to trace up from the ground, taking in the details. It was ornately carved, not unlike the Shadow helmet. It wasn't very high, like the plinth in Hyrule. And just as I was hoping, it held an object…

"Oh…" I said heavily.

It didn't hold an object. As light from my sword played over where another should be, all I saw was a black shape, the form of a sword. It wasn't physical; it was like concentrated smoke sticking up out of the plinth.

A shadow of the Sword of Twilight.

They had an incredible sense of humour here.

"Midna, do you see that?"

"What, the sword?" Came her voice from the darkness just before me.

"It's not a sword; it's just its shadow. It's not here."

"It can't be! I can _see _it!"

"Can you grab it?"

A few seconds passed as Midna floated back into the Sword's light and adopted her physical body with a sweep of grey. "Oh Tessek! It really IS just a shadow! But I can see it like it's really there!" She floated over to it and swiped at the phantom sword; her hand went straight through it.

"The real sword must still be in the depths of the Arbiter's Grounds then," I concluded solemnly. The thought had occurred to me on my way here; I'd never seen Zant retrieve it after I defeated Stallord. However, I kept going because I knew that the Master Sword could not be lost, that somehow it would find its way back to its home. As it turned out, the Twilight Sword wasn't so blessed.

Midna sighed. "All this way for nothing."

I thought for a second. "Surely there's a reason why there's _something_ here. I mean, you can see the sword as if it's there, and I can see its shadow."

Midna joined me in thought. "At a guess…" She began, trailing off to think some more. "I think there IS something of it left; maybe the true _blade_ is lost, but the _essence _of the sword made it back here! What we can see is the sword's 'soul,' if that makes sense."

It did, barely. It had to be just like Zelda had said. I knew the Master Sword to be a heavily enchanted blade; it was both a physical sword and much magic at once. Presumably, one could separate the two, which is what Midna was suggesting had happened here. The Twilight Sword's magic was in the plinth. This gave me an idea.

I reached into my pack and rummaged for a bit. I knew I had put it in here, where was it…

My hands touched metal, and I carefully withdrew the bare Blade of Courage. Midna watched me lift the sword in my right hand, glanced over to the plinth, then returned to give me a look of 'are you sure you know what you're doing?'

I adopted a 'probably not' face. My plan was to drop the Blade into the plinth and see if it would adopt the Twilight Sword's essence. We didn't need the sword itself after all; all we needed was its Shadow magic. And I could live with imbuing the Blade with that power if it got us closer to our goal. I moved forwards and raised the Blade, pointing its tip at the opening in the plinth. But as I lowered the sword, I saw the shadow beneath it vanish before the point touched it, as if the smoke were being blown away. I carried on, but when the blade touched the stone, it would go no further.

Damn.

"Maybe…" Midna offered, but thought better of it.

Wait, Midna!

"Midna, what if you placed the sword in the plinth? I mean, the Master Sword can only be drawn by a light-dweller. Maybe the Twilight Sword's the same!"

Midna's eyes flickered as she ran through my idea, evidently wondering if it could even be possible. She finally shrugged and said, "Nothing to lose by trying."

I offered her the sword; she levitated it with her magic and allowed it to hover above the plinth. This time, the shadow remained. I felt certain this was a good sign. Midna lowered the blade into the plinth seemingly without resistance.

For several seconds, nothing happened. I couldn't feel any magic around the sword; I wasn't wearing the Shadow though, so that could be why. Maybe she could feel something?

"Anything?" I asked.

"Nothing happening," she said, straining with concentration. I guessed she was reaching out with her power, feeling around the plinth for a clue.

Wait, when I drew the Master Sword, I had to be holding it.

"Maybe you need to touch the sword," I offered.

She blinked, accepted it and said, "OK, here goes."

She floated down to the sword, eyed its hilt and reached out her hand to grab it.

The instant her fingers touched metal, she was gone with an ear-splitting boom.

(~+~)

The pain was impressive. From what I could tell, I'd broken two, maybe three ribs. I fought through, forcing my eyes open to check where I was. Compared to what I'd been through, this was bearable.

I was on the floor at the edge of the chamber. An invisible energy had knocked me back with incredible force. It had probably broken the ribs at that instant. My back was wracked with pain, too; the stone wall had caught my high-speed flight. Thank the goddesses it was flat; if I'd flown into something sharp, it probably would have killed me.

I could see Link in the distance, at the centre of the chamber. He looked around himself, confused. "MIDNA!" He yelled out in panic. He was searching intently, and though making sounds was useless in the Nothingness, I nonetheless tried to call to him but I couldn't; my chest was nothing but fiery pain. I harnessed my magic, thinking _'heal'_ over and over again. To help, the Shadows snapped out and circled me slowly. Cuts and grazes were easy; setting broken bones was difficult. The extra power would help, but it would be several minutes before I could get off the ground. Now to get his attention.

I grimaced as I had the idea; I drew together a small ball of magic and threw it expertly at Link's right arm. The Shadow magic swam through the blackness and tagged Link's elbow. His arm shook and his sword hand came over to cover the stinging point of impact, but eventually he worked it out, thought through the path of the projectile and ran over in my direction.

As Link thundered over to me, the light from his sword growing closer, I looked over myself in the dim light from the bracelet. I saw the misshapen bone beneath my flesh, but the skin was unbroken. Hopefully that was the extent of the damage; it didn't feel like I'd punctured a lung. Though I believed the full Shadow power could do anything, I didn't want to find out its limits here. I remained perfectly still as the sword's light circle crossed over me.

"Goddesses, Midna! Are you hurt?"

I tested my voice; I couldn't speak much, but I could summarise for him. "Yep… ribs… broken… magic… on it… WATCH OUT!"

Those last two words felt like I'd broken another rib, but I'd rather that than see Link split in half.

With an ear-splitting clang of metal on stone, a blade sliced downwards through the air Link had occupied less than a second before. He seemed to react before I'd even spoke, rolling aside literally just in time. I looked at the sword, now stuck in a notch in the ground. I harnessed the Shadow helmet and used its vision; it cleared the darkness enough that I could follow the blade.

From the ground, the steel ran upwards into more metal. A metal-clad fist was wrapped around it, which connected to more metal plating, then to an immense figure.

It was seven feet tall, clad in incredibly thick armour, and wielded a sinister grey blade; Link's sword overtaken by Shadow magic. I felt a pang of fear as I realised this temple was guarded, and by one of the strongest spirits of the Realm.

The Twilight Swordsman.

(~^~)

Though I appreciated Midna looking out for me, I sensed something was wrong just after 'ribs.' There was magic in the air that wasn't there when we entered, and my Triforce began to burn in warning as I felt it moving towards me. And magic in temples usually equalled trouble.

When I rolled around to face my enemy, all I could see was the end of the sword in the ground. The Master Sword's light field was too small. I moved slightly closer, keeping one eye on the sword in preparation for the next dodge.

I raised the Master Sword and slid my shield onto my arm, ready to face whatever was in the darkness.

The light illuminated more and more metal. I could see the sword better, too. The plinth had turned the blade an eerie grey, not shiny silver as it had been. I saw an armoured arm connected to the sword, which rose up into a metal body.

It was a knight, so covered in armour that I could not tell what species it was. However, it was big, and that told me all I needed to know.

The Swordsman pulled the blade from the stone ground as easily as if it were mud. He shook the dust off the end and raised it. Then, as I prepared for his strike, he vanished, stepping out of the light the Sword provided. I had never felt more fear then. Even the Triforce couldn't block it. Although I had faced enemies in the dark before, this was something worse. I couldn't even hear them past the edge of the light.

The blade flew out of the darkness and, had I hesitated even slightly, would have cleaved me in half. Instead, I backflipped just enough to avoid it, then rolled away from Midna; she was helpless until she healed herself, and I had to keep the danger away from her.

As noble as that was, I knew I could not hope to fight back without being able to see the Swordsman. I kept moving but felt out with my Triforce; I felt the sword, and tried to boost its light power. There had to be a way…

The sword flared, letting loose a powerful burst of light. It lit up the entire room for a moment, but it was long enough. I saw the Swordsman poised to strike, and I rolled around him to perform a back-slice. As I leapt into the air behind him, dragging the sword along the seam of his armour, I saw him falter, but not for long enough. As the flare died away, I could see the armour reforming.

I realised – the Swordsman wasn't the true enemy. The Sword was what I was fighting – it now contained the Twilight magic that had created the Swordsman as a means to fight me. I was fighting an empty shell.

I had to change tactics, to find its weakness. Still running, I harnessed the sword again and unleashed another blast of light. I took in as much detail about the Swordsman as I could – how he held the sword, whether there appeared to be any new weaknesses in the blade.

I couldn't see anything useful.

Then, as the light faded, I saw Midna gesture to me.

I kept the location of the Swordsman fixed in my mind and dashed over to her. It was risky, but I saw what she had in mind as soon as the Sword's light washed over her. She held the Shadow helmet in her hands and threw it to me as I ran past, guiding it into my hands with her magic. Surely it would weaken her healing abilities, but I knew what she was thinking; if I didn't defeat the Swordsman we were both dead.

I pulled the Shadow on and harnessed its vision; immediately, it drove back the Nothingness. I could see the Swordsman clearly enough as he made his way over to Midna. I charged as he raised his blade, rolling to place my shield directly between us. I could feel the sword cut into the metal of the Hylian shield, if only slightly. Nothing had ever struck it so hard; the impact sounded as a solid thud against both the shield and the stone floor that left my ears ringing. Had I parried the strike it could have broken my arm.

I felt the Swordsman withdraw the sword, the blade separating from my shield and I took my chance; I slammed the shield into the Swordsman's head, jarring his vision. At the same time, I leapt into the air and combined a helm splitter with a back-slice, trying to cause as much disruption as possible. It sort of worked; the Swordsman turned to face me, taking long, determined strides towards me.

I knew of only one way to defeat the Swordsman; I had practised with the sword for a long time, and if the blade had its own spirit, it would know all of my moves. Thus, the Swordsman would be immune to them all; he had shrugged off the helm splitter as if I had simply tapped his helmet with the flat of my blade. There was, however, one move I had never practised with this blade. A move so risky, and so difficult to practise, that I had never bothered. Now, having never used the attack in months, I counted on it to save my life and hers.

I sheathed my sword.

The Swordsman took it as an act of forfeit and moved toward me, raising his sword for the kill. I trusted in myself and my abilities; if this failed, I would surely die, and if that wasn't bad enough, Midna was defenceless. But I was out of options. My Triforce glowed gold in support.

I felt my focus grow to incredible levels. I could suddenly see every move made by the Swordsman as if he were moving through water. All of his motions slowed even though mine did not. Perfect. I watched for my chance; this would have to be exactly right.

I waited for as long as I dared, then performed that deadly attack.

I ripped the sword from its scabbard and swung it towards my enemy in one invisibly-fast movement. The Mortal Draw.

It was such a risky move, to wait for the opportune moment when my enemy's defences were at their lowest, to trust that they would not land a killing blow before I had the chance to draw my sword. There was also the issue that, whilst the Sword did not know of this attack, the Swordsman was clad in such thick armour my sword would simply scrape off it.

Fortunately, I wasn't aiming for the Swordsman.

When I had designed the sword, I knew that even the most careful of warriors could lose their blade in the heat of battle, only to find it facing them seconds later. The Master Sword could not harm its chosen wielder. Lacking magic, I chose to protect my own blade in a different manner. From the outset, I placed a tiny strip of metal on one side of the hilt. This strip was the structural key to the entire sword. And this was the strip the Master Sword's length ran across.

It happened exactly as I had hoped. As the strip caved in under the light blade, the Blade of Courage fell apart. The strip was the weakest part of the joint between the hilt and the blade. With it severed, the sword split into two pieces instantly.

The deadly blade fell from its hilt as the Swordsman looked on, powerless to stop what I had done. Even if he were to pick up the fallen steel, there would be no returning it to the hilt. At least, not so it would stay.

That was it. The Sword was the key to the Swordsman's power. He existed solely to allow the sword to attack. Without the blade, he had no purpose. As I watched, the metal plates collapsed to a pile on the ground.

Another enemy defeated.

I looked at the broken sword with pained eyes for just a moment. It had been a magnificent sword. I had taken a huge risk placing a weakness in my own blade, but I had taken measure to reduce it; the thumb of my left hand was protected by a steel plate woven into the glove. It seemed so little, but were a sword to strike it, it would cause the blade to glance off. And my thumb would be directly over the weak strip whenever I attacked.

Now I knew my design worked.

I was already running over to Midna. She was breathing heavily, in pain, but she was awake. "Midna…" I began.

"It's OK," she said awkwardly. "I'll be fine if you let me have the Shadow back." I had forgotten about it. I pulled the stone from my head and gently placed it around hers, darkness returning to the edges of my vision. She nodded in thanks and closed her eyes as the Shadow magic completed, harnessing it all to heal herself. The other three pieces rose from her sides and circled above her slowly.

I watched in silence for several minutes as she worked on her injuries. There was nothing else I could do. My gaze alternated between my late enemy and my love. Fortunately the former seemed to be gone. The latter was still here, and working on staying.

Some time later, Midna looked up at me. "I think that'll keep me going," she said weakly. "My ribs are set but they'll take time to heal. I can't change to a shadow until they improve, so I'll have to levitate."

"Stay within the sword's light," I said.

"I'd offer you the Shadow, if I didn't need it."

"Thanks," I said anyway.

With effort, Midna pushed herself away from the ground, wincing as she rose above it. She took up a similar position in the air to what she had been in on the floor, moving herself with magic. When she settled into a hover, she nodded to me and we left the chamber.

Moving slowly through the corridor, I asked her, "What happened?"

"I think Zant happened," she said with anger, though not at me. "He corrupted the Sword's power when he first drew it, then he forced it to animate a monster. Its entire essence was confused; it probably didn't recognise me as a Twili."

"Maybe because you carry some light in you," I offered.

"Maybe. I don't blame you for getting me to try; it was a good guess. But I couldn't tell if the magic was intact or not. It's not your fault I got hurt, Link, so don't beat yourself up over it. Save that for me to do later." She flashed that grin and I returned one.

"So… now what?" She asked as we reached the entrance and stepped back out onto Ancestor's Walk.

"You know this realm – any other significant sources of power we could tap into?"

"Besides the Shadows, no." Midna let her head fall back solemnly. "The Twilight Sword was the key. Gods-damn Zant for screwing things up even AFTER I disintegrated him – I don't care **how** sorry he is, his lack of forethought is starting to have real consequences."

A vision of Midna impaling Zant with what was essentially her hair flashed into my mind. I'll never forget the look on her face afterwards, when she realised she'd only directed a fraction of the Shadows' power at him. That moment had scared me too for the exact same reason – if that was only a fraction, how much damage could she do with the full power of the Shadows? I'd been forced to make her promise she'd leave the castle standing when she broke through its defences; Zelda later joked that Midna owed her a new tower. Now it seemed Zant was actually the one in debt.

A faint breeze ruffled my hair. That in itself was odd; I hadn't felt the air move at all since I entered the darkness. I looked into the wind. And then I heard it.

A quiet whistling noise. One of wind through rock.

Very unique rock at that.

I walked towards the source of the sound, holding the sword before me. In its light, I could make out a large bolder on the ground before me.

Strange, I hadn't seen that before. Then again, I hadn't been able to see much.

What was even stranger was that I had in fact seen plenty of these exact boulders before, but never here.

It was a Howling Stone.

When I'd come across one of these before and howled the song it whistled, it had given me the chance to howl with the Golden Wolf; if I succeeded, the Wolf would invite me to learn one of the sacred Hidden Skills.

But the Golden Wolf was a light-dwelling creature. Heck, it was _made_ of light. For a stone to be here was most puzzling.

"Midna, see that?" I said.

"What?"

"That stone."

"…what in Tessek is _that_ doing here?!" She said as she spotted it.

"That is a pretty damned good question," I said, perplexed. "But I think it's here for a reason."

"Slow down wolf-boy, I have never seen one of those in this realm before," she said. "I dread to think what put it here now."

"I don't," I thought aloud. "Every time I've come across one before, it's helped me in some way."

She fell silent for a moment, before continuing, "Okay Link, but be careful. You'd better know what you're doing."

"Never do," I grinned. I drove the Master Sword into the ground to give us a fixed circle of light and changed form.

As fur swept over my body and my Hylian gear vanished, I opened my eyes. I couldn't see much beyond what my two-legged form could, maybe a foot extra in the sword's light. I still couldn't hear anything beyond the circle, either. I was still a creature reliant on my senses, perhaps even more so in this form than as a Hylian.

I walked slowly up to the stone, my sharp ears picking out the sequence of pitches, burning them into my mind.

"Try singing in tune this time, Wolfy!" Midna suggested. I barked at her in response. I cleared my throat and she laughed. "You are _definitely_ not a wolf, Link!" I rolled my eyes and sat down. I listened intently one last time, miming the howl before it repeated once more, and this time I threw back my head and launched into the howl.

There was something oddly satisfying about howling; maybe the fulfilment of a primitive method of communicating, maybe the feeling of intense vibration in my throat as my breath roared out of my body, maybe the idea of making so much noise! I didn't care; my focused mind guided my voice, and I copied the notes expertly.

As I held the last note, I felt a familiar warmth and my vision changed to blinding white. Very faintly, I heard Midna call, "Don't take too long!"

*

When my sight returned a short time later, I noticed a few things had changed.

First, I was not sitting on a high cliff far away from Hyrule, but in a familiar, pure white, ghostly landscape.

Second, I was Hylian.

Third, the ancient skeletal warrior was already here.

I turned to him.

"We meet again, Hero chosen by the Goddesses," its crumbling, aged voice rumbled.

"Indeed we do," I replied, hoping to all hope I was right, "Kokau."

The ravaged face of the warrior broke into the closest thing to a smile it could muster. In the next instant, its body shimmered, changing form and size. In moments, the green-clad form of Kokau stood before me. "You really are smarter than she gives you credit for you know, Link," he noted, his voice restored.

"The last time I proved her wrong, she sulked for a day," I replied. "I think she can't stand not to be right."

He gave a warm smile, crossed over to me and extended his hand, which I gladly shook.

"You have no idea how glad I am to see you," I said happily. "Finally, I get a break on this one!"

"It's great to see you survived both your quest and your first encounter with the Nothingness, Link. You're on the path to defeating it."

"I take it you're here to help with that?" I asked.

"In a manner," he replied. "I'm glad you found my calling card."

"Yeah, about that…" I began.

"You can thank the Goddesses for that in time," he replied. "It was their doing."

"But how? I thought they couldn't act."

"They can, but every action in the mortal world must have an equal, a counter to it."

"So, what does that mean?"

He thought for a moment. "Maybe a tree or two will lose their leaves a month early, nothing major."

I sighed in relief. "So, you know what I'm going to ask, of course."

"Why are you here? Ah, the eternal question," he mused. "Why are any of us here?"

I cleared my throat pointedly.

"But the question of why _you_ are here," he said quickly, "is answered with this." He reached into the pocket of his tunic, identical to mine, and fished out a small package about the size of my fist. He tossed it over to me and I unwrapped it. I was greeted with a familiar, though blue, object. My jaw dropped.

"Is- is this-?" I stammered.

"The Ocarina of Time? Yes." He beamed.

I stared at it in disbelief.

_This was the key to his adventure across time itself._

"But… but everyone said it was lost in time!" I said.

"Not exactly," Kokau smiled. "I've kept it on me all this time. I knew such a powerful object could not be placed back into the world without truly knowing it could be used for good."

I shook myself to clear my head. "Okay then, two questions. One, why would you trust me with this?"

"I know you," he smiled. "I know you better than you know yourself. How?" He said as I looked at him in questioning. "I have fought you. Time and again, we have matched blades, and time and again, you have shown to me your true nature. A person will only expose their true self, that which is buried beneath the emotion, the intelligence and the lies, when everything they are is threatened with destruction."

"Is that why you forced me to fight you?" I said.

"Your destiny necessitated it. The Goddesses offered me the chance to train new Heroes as and when they are needed. Congratulations, Link, you are the first I have taught, and you have surpassed your master."

"Thanks. I wouldn't be alive without your help."

"It was my honour to help you. You proved yourself, time and again, to be selfless and honourable no matter what odds you faced. That's why I know I can trust you with this."

"Next question, thanks, I guess, but what do I do with it? Travelling in time's great, but…" I trailed off.

He gave a knowing smile. "I cannot tell you what to do with it, Link, only that my limited foresight suggests it will be of great use to you. I can, however, teach you how to use it. It will be the greatest thing I can teach you. Consider it the Hero's final Skill."

I looked over the ocarina. "Just playing songs, right?" I said after a moment.

"Not entirely," he corrected. "This is going to take a while with just one ocarina…"

I remembered Zelda's parting gift and passed him the package in my pocket. "That's okay, Zelda thinks of everything."

"She always does," he agreed, opening the package. His face lit up brightly. "Oh Goddesses, I lost this _centuries_ ago! Thank you so much, Link!" He held up the fairy ocarina, staring upon it like a long-lost friend. "I don't suppose you found my bow, did you?" He asked casually. "I just cannot remember what I did with that…"

"Erm…" I said faintly. "Maybe…"

He laughed quietly and looked back at me. "Ah, doesn't matter now anyway. Here, trade; it's probably best I teach you the songs first, and I don't want you setting off the Ocarina's power accidentally."

We exchanged instruments and he guided me through the use of the ocarina. He showed me how to hold it, how to change notes and how to control my breath. He played me a simple melody and I slowly learned to echo it on the white ocarina. It was strange; after a few attempts, my fingers began to fly to the holes with so little effort. It was like I had always known how to play, but had long forgotten that I could.

I held the last note, adding some subtle vibrato as I ran over the melody in my mind. "I swear I know that tune," I said as my lips parted from the instrument.

Kokau gave a smile. "No doubt, Link. You remember the Howling Stone at Lake Hylia?"

My face broke into realisation. "You created them, didn't you? The Stones."

"I did," he confirmed. "The Goddesses placed them, but yes, I created them. I enchanted them with the songs I learned on my journey, so that my quest would never be forgotten."

"Rest assured," I said. "Something like that will live on far longer than us."

His smile twitched. "Come to realise something?"

"Probably my own mortality, that while my own legend might live forever, I won't," I said quietly.

"I know exactly what you mean," he said solemnly. "That's why I pushed you to find a life you could live happily, not endlessly fighting. Your life and your legend are two different things, and only one can you control. The other follows in its wake, and will probably be different to each person who hears it. You can't control how you're remembered, so don't even try. Your actions define you."

I thought for a moment. "Okay, though on the subject of actions, isn't this another one of those 'affecting the world' actions? I mean, the Ocarina's not exactly a toy."

"True, but we aren't in the mortal world," he replied knowingly.

I looked around myself. "All right, you got me, where are we?"

He gave a quiet laugh in response.

I worked it out in a few moments. "We're in the Sacred Realm, aren't we?"

"Definitely smarter," he grinned. "You should show it more often; that goofy grin really gives the wrong impression!"

I laughed.

"Yes, we're in an isolated corner of the Sacred Realm, set aide by the Goddesses for me and my chosen students," he explained.

Realisation hit me. "Wait, you mean I'm no longer in Hyrule?"

"Well, technically you are; your body is there, but your spirit is here."

"Goddesses, Midna!"

"Relax, Link, she can take care of herself. Before you leave, all you need to know is the Song of Time." He drew the blue instrument to his lips once more and played a slow, haunting tune that seemed to ring all around me, each note catching my ears like something physical actually touched them.

"Nice," I said when he finished.

"You try," he said.

I raised the white ocarina and ran over the notes I'd heard. As I breathed into the instrument, my fingers flew straight to the hole for the note almost by themselves. All I needed was to remember the right ones…

Kokau laughed quietly at my attempt. I looked up at him and sighed, taking no offense. "Here," he said, playing the song slower.

I watched his fingers move with incredible fluidity over the instrument. Even played slow, he showed so much connection to this tune. At a guess, this song had defined his journey, and it was taking him back to the time he too walked among the mortals.

He repeated the song again and I joined in, focusing on the notes. After a few mistakes, he and I played the song together perfectly.

"That's it, Link," he said quietly. "You are now more than worthy to take this." He passed me the Ocarina; I slowly reached for it, handing him back the fairy ocarina. He looked over it. "Ah…" he sighed. "How I miss her…" He caught my questioning look. "This belonged to my childhood love," he summarised, falling silent.

I had to press him for one more answer. "So what do I do?"

He looked back up at me. "Play the Song of Time and focus all your energies on the time you wish to travel to. It's just like warping, except through time."

I looked over the Ocarina. "That easy, huh?"

"Yep. If I may suggest, the first time you use it, think of the Temple of Light."

I gave him a surprised look. "Why?"

He grinned. "You're always looking for answers. I just know you'll find them in there. Just trust yourself. Your true powers are awakening, Link. Trust in your abilities, and you will find them."

I stared at the Ocarina again. It was such an innocent object, yet it held so much power.

"You've made me proud to have known you, Link," he continued. "I doubt I'll see you again," he said heavily. "So, I guess I can give you what else goes with the Ocarina."

"What's that?" I asked.

"Why, the title, of course," he said with a small smile. "The Hero of Time!"

My jaw dropped again, but I shook my head. "No… no, the Hero of Time is standing in front of me, and always will be. There could never be two."

"Link, I was that Hero long ago. It doesn't matter now. All that are left are the legends."

"And those legends are yours and yours alone. I could never take the title from you. The legend of the Hero of Time is the legend of Kokau; it's how you will always be remembered," I said sincerely. "Besides, you just know I'll have my own legend written after all this is over!"

He closed his eyes with a small smile. "You are very noble, Link. You are an incredible Hero."

"Especially as I didn't want the job," I thought aloud.

"Probably why; you would never misuse your abilities," he said. "You just want rid of your responsibilities. As soon as your quest is over, you'll just be yourself, never using your powers to accomplish your own desires."

My ears perked up. It made perfect sense. "I'm glad I had you as a teacher."

"I'm glad I had you as a student. If you get your way, you might be my only student, at that."

"Ah…" I said.

He grinned. "Don't worry about it, Link. I've been involved with the mortal plane for long enough. The Goddesses are right; I need to take my eternal slumber."

One question had nagged at me, something I really didn't want to ask, but I just had to. I might never get another chance. "What's it like to die?"

His smile widened. "Haha, I'm not going to spoil the surprise! That's something you should never wish to find out!"

I laughed at myself for asking. "This coming from someone who risked his life how many times?"

"More than you and Midna combined," he laughed back. "Now snap to it, Link! Two worlds need saving and your legend needs a happy ending!"

"It's been an honour, Kokau. You've more than earned your rest." I held out my hand and he gripped it warmly.

"An honour for us both. Good luck, Hero of Twilight." He said softly.

And the white glow enveloped me again.

* * *

Nothing's ever simple for Link and Midna, is it?  
And what on Earth is Link going to do with the Ocarina, I wonder? Someone call Timecop – all history's at stake!  
Until next time!  
Gargravarr


	29. Chapter 25: Past, Present

Okay, I am really enjoying this story arc. I've had this planned for ages but never had the right ideas at the right time. And now the ideas are just flowing brilliantly!  
Many thanks for the great haul of reviews the last chapter got! Thanks in particular to MysteriousMidna, ConGie (for both reviews, cheers!), Seeker (mind = blown much? XD) and Ninja.  
Not much else to say except, enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 25  
Past, Present, Possible Futures

(~+~)

"Link!" I shook the wolf's shoulders urgently. "_Link_!" I hissed in his ear, raising one hand to pull on it. He _hated_ how I pulled on his ears, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

He'd been out cold for several minutes now. A moment after he'd finished howling, he'd collapsed into a familiar, deep sleep that I couldn't rouse him from. The first time he'd done this, I'd assumed he'd exhausted himself and had spent quite some time trying to wake him up, using progressively more violent methods. If I didn't know better I'd swear his ears no longer lined up after that.

"Please Link, wake up!" I urged him.

I'd dragged him over to the sword and placed him in a comfortable position soon after he fell asleep. It was then that I realised I could no longer see the Stone.

The sword's light was shrinking.

The ten-foot-wide circle had fallen back to a little over six feet in the time he'd been out. The light the Sword had gathered from the Sols was running out, and far too fast.

I grabbed his ear in both hands to open it wide, drew a breath and yelled, "LIIIIINK!"

That did it.

The wolf beneath me shot awake, launching himself upwards in pure shock into his Hylian body in one incredible motion. Not even thinking, he wrenched the sword from the ground and raised it, at the same time raising his arm to push me out of range of an enemy before him.

His sharp eyes scanned the darkness ahead for some moments before grimacing; his right arm raised from in front of me to cover his right ear from where I'd shouted into it. "Ow, Nayru!" He groaned, rubbing his ear. "Midna, you made your point!"

"Thank the Goddesses," I breathed. Waking him up had _never_ been this difficult.

"Sorry, I told you I can't hear you when I'm doing that." He rubbed his ear harder. "Though I think I'm going to be hearing my name for a week," he said sorely.

"Well, I hope you had a nice time howling with your golden buddy," I shot at him. "Because we're running out of light."

His eyes widened and darted down to the sword. "Ohhh Goddesses…" escaped his lips as he took in the shrinking circle.

Suddenly he froze; the next instant, he was in a defensive stance. As my head turned, I saw why. This was not good timing.

My eyes widened. "T-Turos?" I stammered.

A red-draped Twili had crossed into the Sword's dimming light. His eyes were wide, but did not see, at least not that I could tell. His robe was ripped and torn; the nails on his dark fingers had grown as long as talons.

Link held the Master Sword toward him, ready to lunge at any instant. I held up my hand to him, and he lowered the weapon. "Is… is he dangerous?" he whispered to me.

"I don't know," I whispered back. I floated over to him, hovering before his face. "Turos…" I said softly.

His ears twitched ever so slightly, and his blank eyes slowly looked in the direction of my voice. His mouth was still wide open, as it had been when he had approached us. A croak escaped his throat. "Princess?" He said slowly.

"Turos! Yes, it's me! You're going to be fine!" I placed my hands on his temples to reassure him.

"I cannot see…" he mumbled.

"I know; the blindness is temporary and will pass."

His hands rose up to find mine, palms covering the backs of my hands as he held them. They proceeded along my arms. "You… you're not Princess Midna…"

"Turos, I am. Zant cursed me into a different body that I need to fight the darkness. You remember what you once told me about the true ruler of the Twili?"

"Yes…" he whispered. "What was it?"

"That their first duty is to their people, and I will never forget that."

He paused for a moment before his hands returned to hold mine. "You _are_ Princess Midna. Your Majesty, please… help us…"

"I am, Turos, we're going to beat it. We're going to destroy the Nothingness once and for all."

His eyes seemed to find mine and slightly focus. "Red eyes…"

"Yes!" I confirmed. "You'll be fine! Everyone will be fine once the light returns!"

"Who is 'we'?" He asked.

"Myself and Link."

"Who is Link?"

I realised with a pang of guilt that I had never mentioned Link directly to the Council. I had only ever made passing references to the Sacred Beast and an unnamed Light Dweller. I told him Link was both of them.

"A child of the Shadow-haters?" He growled, his hands wrenching mine away from his face. His eyes were focused now. "You talk like Princess Midna, but you're an imp! A common imp! How could you know… what have you done with the Princess?" He ordered.

"I _am_ the Princess!" I cried, trying to break my hands free of his. His long nails began to scratch at my arms. "Turos, let me go!"

"Not until you give me an answer I like, imp!"

"Turos, please…" I said.

"Let her go," came a cold voice from behind me. I felt Link behind me; his arms came around me and grabbed Turos' wrists. As I watched, he squeezed, finding the pressure points that forced his hands to release mine. "Go!" He hissed in my ear. I darted out from between them. The sword was once again wedged point down in the ground, its light unsteady.

Link and Turos locked eyes. "Was it not good enough to take away the light from us, _arlec_?" Turos swore. "What did we do that forced you to steal _all_ the light from us?!"

Link grunted as Turos tried to struggle against him, but Link's incredible physique made it impossible to overpower him. "I saved this realm once, you ungrateful moron. Me and Midna. That imp's her. That traitor cursed her to look like that. And you're standing between us and getting rid of the darkness."

"Lies, all of them! Light-Dwellers can never be trust-uh…"

While Link had kept him distracted, I had been able to float silently behind Turos and place my hands on either side of his head, mumbling the incantation I'd used to cause so much mischief when growing up. "_Dormos tari!_"

A crack of purple flew from each of my hands into Turos' head and with a grunt, he slumped. Link was quick, raising his arms to catch him by his wrists. "Oh Din, what did you do?" He said in panic.

"Slumber Spell," I said heavily. "It'll knock him out for about eight hours. Not something I wanted to do; who knows what going straight from sleep to blackness will do to him…"

Link grunted again and lowered Turos gently to the ground. "But it's a good sign, though, right? A few moments in the light and his mind came back. Well, for the most part," he added quietly.

"I'm sorry Link, some Twili are still a little resentful towards the light," I said heavily. "I really regret you had to run into him. The rest aren't all like him," I tried to reassure him.

"Midna, don't worry, no-one's perfect. I'm not going to hold it against either of you. But it's a good sign that his mind returned, right?"

"Yes," I breathed after a moment, a sigh of relief escaping me. I'd never seen Turos act that way before, but the way his sight and touch returned so quickly filled me with hope. The Nothingness had unpredictable effects, but for his senses to come back so fast... It rose beside my regret of stunning him. I cursed myself for doing so, but he had become a danger to both Link and himself. I had to do it, but now I had to fear the consequences.

"That's great to hear," Link replied, genuinely relieved. "You did what you had to do," he said, placing his hand on my shoulder as I checked Turos' head for breath. His eyes were firmly closed as he lay in a deep sleep. I prayed to the Twilight Gods to watch over him and the rest of my people, placing my hand over Link's. This simple act alone, his touch, told me we would find a way out of this.

"Thanks, Link," I whispered. He spun his hand over, softly gripping mine. I squeezed it in gratitude and turned to face him. "What now?"

"I would say we should solve this in eight hours but I guess we don't even have that," he said with a glance at his sword. I drew a breath in fear. That sword was about the only effective thing for him in this realm. My bracelet wouldn't allow him to fight effectively. Its only use was for someone who knew the layout of the place they were in to find a way out.

As I watched, the sword pulsed faintly and the light shrank again. "Frack, we really are running out of time," he hissed.

"We could try for the Sols," I suggested.

"What if they don't work in the Nothingness?"

I bit my lip; it was entirely possible that the Nothingness was sapping their light energy. "What do you suggest then?"

Link felt his tunic pocket. "Ah-ha," he whispered, reaching in and pulling something out.

"What the heck is _that?_" I said. What he held was a very strange lump of what appeared to be blue rock. On closer inspection, it seemed to be an ornament, like what many Light-Dwellers felt necessary to adorn their homes with.

"A present from an old friend," he said, looking up from it to me. "Climb on my shoulder. We're getting out of here." He bit his lip as he looked from the sword to the object, electing to drive the sword through his tunic to keep both hands free whilst giving us light.

"What?" I fired at him, obeying and sitting on his shoulder. I clutched his hair as he drew the blue lump to his lips, placed a small stub in his mouth and began to blow. I quickly realised it was a musical instrument. His fingers danced over the tiny holes on its surface and a haunting melody chimed from it, one that seemed to counter the sound-deadening of the Nothingness and add a renewed echo.

Link's eyes were scrunched up in concentration and he repeated the melody with renewed determination.

"What's supposed to be-wargh!" I gasped as my sight began to distort, the tiny fragment of the world before us spinning and stretching. Coupled with the pulsing of the sword, it nearly made me sick. I gripped Link harder and slammed my eyes shut, willing it to end soon.

An odd sensation swept through my body, like warping without breaking apart. I couldn't place why, but streaks of gold flashed behind my eyelids as I felt like I was falling.

As I breathed heavily to dispel the nausea, it all stopped. I saw light beyond my eyelids – strong light! I cracked my eyes open.

Colour.

Lots and lots of colour!

For a moment, I wondered what was worse, a blanket of darkness or being bombarded with different lights.

_Just where the heck were we now?!_

"_Chosen Hero, Twilight Princess, welcome,"_ came a familiar, ethereal voice. My eyes focused and I felt Link's head turn. I went with him to see the source of the voice.

"Who are you?" I fired. The figure before us wasn't a ghost, its face hovering before it like a floating mask, but a man, appearing around fifty Hylian years. He was bald, bore a white moustache and sideburns, and wore a flowing robe of a dull orange colour, fronted by a red sash. But that voice… that was the voice that revealed to Link who I was months ago, and that was something I still wasn't happy with.

"_I am Rauru,"_ the figure said, bowing slowly. _"I am the Sage of Light. Welcome to the Temple of Light."_

Around us, I spotted more figures. I tugged Link's hair and he looked around us. More Hylians in elegant robes surrounded us.

Rauru rose from his bow and gestured to his left. _"If you must know our names,"_ we followed his hand to see a green-clad Hylian man, who bowed to us. _"Arbrier, the Sage of the Forest,"_ next, a white Hylian woman. _"Vier, the Sage of Spirit,"_ next a red, well-built Hylian man. _"Pyrus, the Sage of Fire,"_ now a black, shadowy Hylian woman. _"Noiré, the Sage of Shadow."_

"_Welcome, Chosen Hero and Twilight Princess,"_ they all said in eerie unison.

"Why were we told to come here?" Link asked with confidence. I'd never known him sound so bold. I was caught somewhere between fear and awe as I took in the chamber around us. We stood in the centre of a platform held above what appeared to be Nothingness. The sides of the chamber, beyond the black, were stone walls with more platforms. The stone had an unnatural tinge of blue, like the instrument Link had played, and were mostly hidden in shadow. I couldn't place where the light in the chamber came from.

"_You seek answers, young Hero,"_ came a voice behind us. Link turned to see another Sage step from the shadows at the side of the chamber, walking across the black oblivion onto the platform. Both our jaws dropped.

"Z-Z-Zelda?!" Link spluttered. I couldn't even speak. _It looked just like her!_

The woman gave a faint smile. _"I am not the Zelda you know. I come from a time long ago, a time when the Dark King first rose,"_ she said, looking away for a moment, allowing us to see she had blonde hair, not brown like the Zelda we knew, before turning back to us. _"I am better known as Cronos, the Sage of Time. I lead the Sages."_

She took up a place beside Rauru. _"We Sages protect the land of Hyrule at the behest of the Goddesses. Each of us governs a small part of the whole. In times of desperation, we lend our essences to mortals who we believe will prove vital to the quest for salvation. What you see before you are the closest you will see of our true forms. Our existence in the Mortal Realm is very much restricted."_

"That explains why you look like ghosts," I muttered, more to Link.

"_Our purpose is to prevent the seeds of evil from taking root in the world, such that the Hero may find a way to defeat it. However, the Dark King's magic, combined with the Triforce of Power, has been too great for us to match, and with his mastery of the Nothingness, we cannot oppose him."_

"Some help you are," I said.

Zelda, or Cronos, met eyes with me. _"The Dark King's powers come from the fundamental makeup of the world, Twilight Princess. Powers that equal our own. His acquisition of the Triforce raises these powers beyond what we can combat without drastically altering the fabric of creation. We must keep the world in balance above all else."_

"How do I fit into this?" Link asked, his voice serious.

"_With the blessing of the Goddesses, your powers are not bound by the Mortal Realm. Your energies are capable of countering the Dark King without disturbing the balance. You, and the Twilight Princess, are the only two who can defeat the Nothingness at its source."_

"How?" He said sharply.

Cronos gave him an odd look, somehow caught between admiration and scolding, before replying, _"The united magic of Light and Shadow has always been key. You must simply discover a way to channel that power."_

"Stop being cryptic!" Link suddenly shot. My head spun around to him. His face was set in determination. I had to say I was growing impressed with his energy. "Just tell me what I have to do! Two worlds are hanging on my shoulders!"

Cronos' face broke to true admiration. _"Such strength. You know by now that my Ocarina is now the key to your quest."_

Link raised the instrument and looked at it. An ocarina, had she called it? What an odd name. I thought I'd misheard Zelda. "I told Kokau, time travel's good, but what does it get me?" He asked. There was a pointed edge to his voice; he was pressing for direct answers.

I noticed Cronos' face twitch when Link mentioned Kokau. I thought back and remembered Link telling Zelda about his meeting with the Hero of Time – yes, he had adopted the name Kokau. Wait, he'd met the Hero of Time again…

"_The ability to relive the past brings with it the ability to seek what is no longer there," _Cronos said with a smile. I looked back at Link to see his eyes widen.

"The Sword of Twilight…" he breathed. I felt my skin tingle as I caught up with him.

"We use the Ocarina to go back in time and retrieve it!" I realised. Hope flooded into me; as strong as the hope I'd felt when the Shadow first submitted to me.

"_Yes, Hero and Princess, and with it, you may complete the union of Light and Shadow. You know of the place you must do this. Trust in your powers, Chosen Hero, and your path shall reveal itself to you."_

"Why can't you just tell me what to do?" Link asked. "All the time I spend working out your riddles is more time Ganondorf gets to dominate two entire worlds!"

"_It is one thing to be told of one's abilities. To discover them for oneself is to truly understand them. It is the same with knowledge. By discovering the answers yourself, you will gain knowledge that cannot be conveyed. Such is the way it must be."_

I tugged on Link's hair softly. "Right, we've got what we need, and it looks like we've got all the time to do what we need to do. Let's go!" I lowered my voice to a whisper. "Before you end up strangling her!"

"_Hold, Princess," _Cronos warned. Link didn't move. _"Let it be known that the Ocarina of Time carries with it the power to change the flow of time itself. History can be altered as easily as a word can be rewritten. The history you know must never be altered. What has happened must happen, lest the very fabric of creation unravel."_

"What happens then?" I asked.

"_Everything ends,"_ Cronos said with deadly seriousness.

I gave a quiet whistle. "That sounds like a bad idea."

Link was thinking. "The Twilight Sword must have been drawn by Zant before he came to the Light Realm but after the takeover of the Twilight."

"Which means," I picked up. "Any time before it, it's open season."

"_Do not forget, the sword must be returned upon the completion of your task," _Cronos warned.

"Probably wise not to go saving the world and end up destroying it," I said to Link. He snorted a quiet laugh.

"Yeah, I would prefer to actually have something to come back to," he said. "And someone," he whispered. I cracked a smile as he spun the Ocarina in his hands again. "Anything else we need to know?" He said to Cronos.

"_The path has revealed itself to you, Chosen Hero,"_ Rauru took over. _"But darkness still exists along it."_

The sword…

"You mean…" Link started.

"_It was the actions of the Goddesses that blessed the Blade of Evil's Bane,"_ Cronos told us.

"Wait a second…" I interrupted. "The Golden Goddesses? I don't know why they'd be helping us. We weren't exactly the best of followers."

Cronos gave a smile. _"Your predecessors were not. However, do you look among your own race and see that same hatred of light?"_

I couldn't answer for a while. The Twili as a whole were accepting of their lives, but Turos' face and Rallic's words haunted me. "Not always," I finally said. "But it does happen."

"_Let it be known, Twilight Princess, that events have been set in motion that will shape the future in ways beyond your imagining,"_ Cronos told us. _"The Goddesses have their reasons for watching over the Twilight Realm."_

"Again with the cryptic clues," Link muttered. I could tell his eyes were rolling. He fixed a look on Cronos. "What about the sword?"

"_Draw it, Hero,"_ Rauru said.

Link obeyed, pulling the lethal steel from the hastily-made hole in his tunic. As the tip left, I watched in fascination as the fabric repaired itself. That's why it had lasted this long…

Link held the sword before him. At that, the Sages bowed in admiration.

"_The Blade of Evil's Bane is our finest creation," _Rauru said. _"But even it may require some assistance."_

There was a bright white flash before us; my hands flew up to shield my eyes from it. When the flash had gone, a pedestal sat before Link and I.

It held an odd sword. It was white, and I could almost see through it, like the Sages themselves in Hyrule.

My blood ran cold when I realised I knew that blade; Link gasped.

_Ganondorf had held that sword in the Throne Room!_

"Is that…" Link trailed off with a gulp.

"_That blade is our own,"_ Rauru said. _"It is a sword of pure light. It was always thought that light would always be able to banish darkness. But the darkness the Dark King held in his heart could not be banished by light. When we attempted to execute him, he was able to use his powers to turn the sword against us." _Rauru's gaze fell. _"Eauler, the Sage of Water, fell that day."_

"We know," I said softly, remembering their explanation in the Mirror Chamber.

"_With the death of the Dark King's body in the Realm of Light, we could recover the blade he took from us,"_ Rauru continued. _"And it is our wish that you take this blade with you."_

"I already have this one," Link said. "And I really like it." He casually waved it before him.

"_Yet its light is almost expended,"_ Cronos pointed out.

"Not much I can do about that," Link said.

"_Place the Blade of Evil's Bane into the pedestal, Hero," _Rauru said softly.

Link's eyes flickered between the Master Sword and the ghostly sword before him. He bit his lip as he thought, but seemed to trust them. He brought the point of the sword towards the ghost blade.

As I watched, the Master Sword passed straight through it.

"_Only those who possess powers beyond the mortal coil may wield this sword,"_ Rauru said. _"To all others, it is but a spirit of a blade. A spirit that will gladly share the blade you hold, Hero."_

Link's eyes widened slightly, and he met Rauru's. The Sage gave a slow nod, and Link returned one. He turned back and gently lowered the Master Sword into the pedestal until it rested, the ghostly edges of the Light Sword framing it.

There was another blinding flash; Link instinctively recoiled and nearly threw me off his shoulder. I grabbed his hair and he grunted as I hung at his back.

"Sorry!" I said, transferring my grip to his shoulder and using his body as a shield until the light died away.

I climbed back onto his shoulder and gazed upon the sight before us.

The Master Sword stood in the pedestal, alone. The ghost sword was gone. Link reached out for it, wrapping his left hand around it, and with one fluid movement, drew it up into the air.

The otherworldly ring rippled through the air; the sword's own battle cry. Link tested the sword, seeming to find it as before.

Rauru smiled. _"It is accepted. The Blade of Evil's Bane has been blessed with eternal light. So long as you have the sword, you shall have light, even if the blade rests within its scabbard."_

"Now that's a relief," Link said, looking the Sword over. I strained my eyes, and could see it shining ever so slightly.

"_The Master Sword has been blessed with the power of light, perhaps a light you may wield one day,"_ Cronos said. _"But it must be united with Shadow to destroy Darkness."_

"Sounds like we have a quest to fulfil," Link said quietly. We both looked up at Cronos, who nodded. Link spun the Master Sword expertly into its scabbard and drew out the Ocarina. "Hold on," he warned me.

"Oh joy…" I said, rolling my eyes. I grabbed Link as hard as I could as he began to play.

"_Good luck…"_ Came Cronos' voice as the world twisted uncomfortably once again.

(~^~)

As I played the Ocarina, I felt my Triforce burn again. It had warmed the first time to the point I was afraid my hand would catch fire. Strangely, though I could feel its intense heat flooding my body, it didn't hurt me at all. It wasn't comfortable, but it wasn't actually burning me.

In my mind I had fixed the place I wanted to be – the Temple in the Twilight Realm, one year ago, just to be sure. I felt gold flood through me as the world spun sickeningly. Travelling by Ocarina, I tried to smile, wasn't pleasant.

Finally, after long moments of awful motion, my feet told me the ground was steady. I cracked open my eyes.

A black square rose immediately before me, joined an instant later by many more.

Twilight.

I looked around.

_We were right where I hoped we'd be._

We stood before the Temple, the Twilight all around us intact.

"We made it," I breathed in relief. I took a step forwards.

In an instant the world spun over and I was hanging upside down! Something held my by my ankles!

Midna's eyes met mine as she floated before my inverted body. "Midna, what the…?!"

"Just want a few answers before you go charging into the Temple, buster," she said casually. She snapped her fingers; my head swam again as the world righted itself and I landed awkwardly on my feet.

"You only had to ask," I muttered, picking myself up. "Shoot."

"First off," she said, "WHAT just happened?"

"Not impressed by your first trip to the Sacred Realm?" I smiled.

Midna's eye seemed to backflip. "T-t-the Sa-Sacred Realm?!"

I casually glanced over the Ocarina. "Surprising it managed to do that…" I thought aloud.

"Goddesses, I was in the Sacred Realm…" Midna breathed, her eye unfocused.

"It's something that loses its charm over time," I grinned. "Not as special as it sounds!"

She held her head and shook it slightly, before giving me a blank look. "How do you go through all this without going crazy, Link?"

I laughed. "When your world gets flipped around five times a day, you get used to it!"

She gave her head another shake. "How did we get there?"

I showed her the instrument. "This is the Ocarina of Time, Midna." I let her hold it. She looked it over.

"A magic musical instrument?" She said, puzzled.

"They say music holds strange powers," I smiled.

"Magic is shaped by emotion, Link. How you feel affects how it works," she said, holding the instrument to her lips.

"Probably not a good idea," I said. She bit her lip and nodded.

"I guess that makes sense," I continued. "Music is one of the easiest ways to change how you feel."

"Amazing how you light dwellers choose to harness magic," she looked up and smiled. "You have such cute ideas!"

I grinned. "And who'd ever suspect you could use this to travel in time?"

"Good point," she said. "Where'd you get it?"

"Kokau gave it to me. He's held it ever since he lived in Hyrule."

"Wait 'til Zelda finds out," Midna giggled. "Remember what she told you about the ocarina? I bet she's been looking for this!"

"Perhaps." My breath hitched.

Zelda.

She was still in trouble!

We had time, but we had to spend it wisely.

"We've got work to do," I said seriously.

Midna looked around us. "Yeah, one last question. Where are we?"

"By the looks of it, the Temple of Twilight, one year ago."

Her head spun around fast and her eye locked with mine. "We've gone back in time?"

"Don't sound so surprised; you worked it out," I said.

"Yeah, but I wasn't expecting it to actually happen!" She held her head. "Now I know why Zelda kept thinking she was going crazy."

"She's in trouble," I reminded her. "We need to get the sword."

She gave me a solemn look. "Right."

We both turned to look at the Temple's entrance. It looked so different now; the stone held a weathered look, the plainness of the stone actually showing different shades to those I'd seen in the Master Sword's ghostly light. But one major difference leapt out at me.

A heavy stone door stood in the entrance. Worse, I saw no handle. I walked up and examined the carvings. I couldn't make head nor tail of the Twili runes. "Help me out here."

Midna floated to my side and studied the runes. _"Passage to this Temple shall only be granted to the one who proves to be the true ruler of the Twili,"_ she read after a moment.

I left a pause. "I was expecting something a little more, I don't know… elegant… maybe a little more cryptic…"

Midna gave a quiet giggle. "We Twili see no need for extravagance the way you Hylians do. Simplicity and clarity!"

"When you get used to having your mind bent by strange puzzles, this is where it gets confusing…" I muttered. "At least it's easy enough to work with. A bit of magic should have this open easily."

"One issue…" Midna said quietly, biting her lip.

"What? You _are_ the true ruler of the Twili," I said reassuringly.

"Yes, but…" She looked over her arms again.

My face fell in realisation. "Your form dulls your magic," I groaned, catching my falling head. "And just when I thought this was going to be easier than last time."

"I'll try," she said. She floated up to the door and placed her hand on the stone. Her eye scrunched up and she drew short breaths, her focus total. I saw purple sparks dance around her fingertips into the rock, but she finally pulled her hand away from the rock and sighed. "Nothing."

I put my shoulder against the stone and, planting my legs, heaved against the door. It wouldn't shift. "What about the Shadows?"

"They don't signify the Royal bloodline," Midna said heavily. "I could try moving the stone, though," she offered.

"Worth a try," I grunted, pushing away from the rock and standing back. Midna closed her eye, breathing deeply as she drew her arms wide. I felt the familiar rush of Shadow magic, and I glanced between her and the stone.

It still didn't budge.

"Gah!" She grunted after a moment, throwing her arms down. "It won't move."

"You moved a bridge with those things!" I reminded her.

"Yes, but the bridge had somewhere to go, like up!" She countered. "There's something wedged behind the stone, something magical that I can't break…" She trailed off, then looked at her hands. "But the Shadows can break anything…" Her left hand clenched to a fist.

I felt a chill sweep through me. "Oh no…"

"What?" She said, her eye sweeping over to me. "We need to get in there!"

"Remember what Cronos told us?" I said. "Changing the past? I think that extends to blasting ancient temples apart!" I warned.

"Think about it, Link," she said, thinking herself. "When we entered, there was no door. It was already gone. We must have already done this."

"Zant could have done it," I suggested.

"No way Zant could open this door. Only the Royal could."

"Forgetting Ganondorf's power?"

"Ganondorf's power would have brought the entire temple down," she argued. "No precision control, like I have over the Shadows. The enchantment is in the doorframe alone. I can break just the stone apart."

"Are you really prepared to risk it?" I said.

"Call it a trial run," she suggested.

"Call it the end of the world," I said nervously.

"Do you trust me?" She said quietly. It wasn't a threat, or anything like that. She was actually making sure.

I replied slowly, "I trust you with anything."

"Then please, trust me now. Think about it," She said. "Zant's going to get the sword anyway, door or no door. What difference will it make?"

I gave it a few moments' thought. "Okay," I breathed. "I trust you. And if the world ends, just know that I love you."

"I love you more than words can say," she said. "But it won't come to that. This'll work, I know it."

I felt the fear sweep through me as the three pieces of the Shadow appeared from Midna's pockets.

(~+~)

I was scared.

I felt it in the pit of my stomach.

Fear, trying to eat at me.

The last time I'd used these ancient artefacts, I couldn't remember the aftermath. To willingly give myself over to that power… it took everything I had to go through with it.

I felt the intense Shadow magic radiate from the three pieces around me. Azréalus' armour. Had he known his armour bore this much power?

I drew a deep breath, gathered the magic coursing through my veins, reached out and grabbed the pieces.

All three slammed together as one.

Magic rippled into my body, like hot blood flowing into my limbs. My breaths became short as I struggled to control the power. I felt just like before; the magic had been so intense, so charged, I couldn't control it until it had run its course.

But I felt something I hadn't before.

I could still see, if only slightly. Just a dim vision of the temple before me, but it was definitely more than I had been able to see before. The last time I'd done this, I'd been blind. But I fixed on the temple with my mind, bracing myself for the Shadows to take hold.

I felt the magic begin to set into me. It flowed over my cursed body and grew stronger. Suddenly, I felt an intense heat spread out from my shoulders, and my sight was blinded by gold.

I was still in control, barely. It was the limit of my focus, but I felt my arms and legs double. Link had described the Shadow Beast to me. And now I could tell his description was accurate.

Four of my newly-acquired legs slammed into the ground, even though I towered above Link. This beast wasn't my puppet. It was me.

The gold dispersed and I saw the task before me, fixed on the stone blocking the doorway. Two of my hands clenched into fists. Breathing deep, feeling the incredible power coursing through my now-immense body, I summoned the weapon he told me of.

In my hands, a spear of golden light appeared. I looked at it; its metallic surface alternated between gold and black, like my arms.

Light and shadow united.

I took a step back on four legs, giving myself the right range for my attack. Out of the corner of my vision, I saw Link take several panicked steps backwards, his gaze fixed on me.

The power flowing through me reached a peak, and it felt amazing. My body was charged with energy. I drew myself up to my full height, let loose a wild cry of determination and hurled the spear into the door.

The moment the spear hit the door, light exploded outwards. I shielded my eyes for a moment and looked back.

The stone was gone.

It had been obliterated by the spear.

I let out a yell of triumph, but I felt my energy fall. My magic was expended.

I wrested for control of my body, trying to gather together the magic and return to my body safely.

The magic retreated into the stone surrounding me and the Shadows broke apart, leaving behind my tiny body, but I couldn't levitate. With horror, I realised my magic was gone. The Shadows needed time to recover.

Just like before, I fell away from the sky. A scream of panic erupted from me as I helplessly shot toward the ground.

'Oh Gods, help!' I thought.

Then came the impact, accompanied by a loud, "AGH!"

It took several seconds for me to realise what had happened.

First, I was no longer falling.

Second, I could still see.

"What happened?" I thought aloud.

"You happened…" said a weak voice below me.

Panic again.

"LINK?!" I yelled, my gaze snapping to the soft ground I lay on.

He was directly below me, on his back on the ground, his arms holding me. "Nice of you to drop in," he groaned weakly. I threw myself off him and dashed over to his head.

"Stupid wolf, what did you do that for?!" I said, my voice caught between scolding and fear for him.

He rolled his head to look at me. "I couldn't let you get hurt…" he mumbled. "Besides, you're right. I heal fast." He smiled faintly.

"You will never change," I replied, my face breaking into a warm smile. I leant over, holding his cheeks, and kissed his lips for a moment, before looking into his half-closed eyes.

"Never…" he whispered. He grunted as he felt his torso; I must have landed on him right there. "Give me a minute…" he groaned.

"Gods, don't do that again!" I suggested. I wasn't commanding him; my words were soft in outright relief he wasn't badly hurt.

"Then don't fall fifty feet again," he suggested.

"I had a soft wolf to land on," I smiled softly. He snorted a laugh.

A few minutes passed, and eventually Link tried to push up from the ground. He grunted several times, holding his chest. I held his shoulder and tried to support him. "You sure you're okay?" I said in worry.

"I've fought fire-breathing dragons, wrestled Gorons, been run over by a boar, fallen off a bridge and been shot out of a cannon who-knows-how-many times," he replied. "If you couldn't tell, pain isn't exactly something I mind."

We laughed for a moment, Link weaker than me, but finally, with a hearty grunt, he pushed himself off of the ground. He clutched his ribs and winced.

"What, do I need to lose some weight?" I joked.

"If you're going to do that again…" he retorted.

I swiped playfully at his ankle. He sidestepped unsteadily, but caught himself before he fell. "Sorry!" I said.

He drew a deep breath and sighed it out. He looked up at the freshly-opened doorway.

"Correct me if I'm wrong," I said, feeling my power return. I tapped into it and flew slowly up. "But we appear to be still here."

"Huh." Link said nonchalantly. "Who'd have thought…"

I cleared my throat pointedly.

"I guess I'm not the only one who can take the weight of the world on their shoulders…" he replied.

I floated up to his shoulder level and laughed. "A lot easier than I thought!"

He flashed me an odd look; I smiled in reply.

"Anyway, onwards?" I suggested, floating slightly forwards.

"Remind me never to get you mad," came his faint voice behind me.

* * *

I had to call a break here because what happens next would have brought this to ridiculous length. Fear not; at the rate my ideas have been flowing, it won't take long for the next chapter to come together.  
I've tried very hard to recapture Midna's personality in this chapter; I feel it's eluded me the past few chapters, being pushed aside by the romance. Let me know what you think, and whether this story arc's actually making sense!  
Anyway, until next time!  
Gargravarr


	30. Chapter 26: Choices Part 1

Updated 28/02/2010 1:43PM  
Okay, this is very short, I know, but the next chapter is in the works. I want to try a different approach this time, tell me what you think.  
Many thanks to Fox573 (welcome, new reader!), Varanus (for both reviews!), MM, Meta (long time no see!), Moonlit, Seeker, ConGie and Ninja!  
Anyway, enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 26  
Choices, Part 1

(~^~)

'Love makes people do crazy things' I'd never given that old phrase a thought until after I'd acted on it. Now my ribs were reminding me of it. I'd caught her before, the last time she'd used the Shadows, but for whatever reason this time she'd been too high up. My warrior's mind had assessed the situation in an instant. If she hit the ground from that distance, she would be badly hurt. She might not have even survived it. And at the same time, I knew I couldn't catch her safely. Not without hurting myself, perhaps to the same extent.

It didn't matter. I'd sworn to protect her. My heart couldn't bear to see her hurt. I could take physical pain. The pain from within – now that was unbearable. That's why I didn't hesitate.

She might have been small, but from such a height she'd gathered some speed. And I swear I'd cracked a rib when she hit me, in addition to the smash my head took when the force of catching her threw me to the ground. I silently thanked the Goddesses again as the Triforce warmed on the back of my hand; golden warmth flowed through me as I lay there, almost as soon as the pain had started. It took a while, but it was good to me. I didn't know what I'd do without it.

And now I was on my feet. For the second time today…

My head pulsed, and not from the headache stirring in the back of it. I reached into my pack and fished out a bottle of red liquid. I popped the cork and drained the bitter liquid in one gulp, shuddering at the aftertaste. Moments later, the warmth within me increased. My headache began to settle. The Triforce healed physical injury more than anything; aches and pains within needed some help.

However, the thought in my head hurt. It wasn't today anymore. It was a year ago. Today as I knew it was the future.

This was going to get confusing. I rearranged my thoughts.

For the second time in the space of a day, I stepped through the doorway to the temple. I looked around the entrance, seeing no trace of the stone that previously stopped us. As I trod deeper into the temple, I could see chips of rock, but not fragments of smashed stone like I was expecting. They were smooth, almost like glass.

I realised a moment later that the shadow magic had almost melted the stone. I looked at a large piece before me, its edges as smooth as a pebble. I let out a quiet, low whistle; anything on the receiving end of that spear had better deserve what it got.

Before I continued, I set my mind. This was a temple. It didn't matter that the first time, we'd entered unopposed. If I got complacent, setting off one trap could kill us both.

My senses sharpened again as I checked around. Without the thick cloud of darkness, I could see the floor a lot easier. It was strewn with runes and odd patterns. Just out of habit, I kept to the plain stone, avoiding the runes as much as possible, and carefully testing each step before I placed my weight, lest I set off a hidden switch.

Why wasn't this place guarded?

Midna floated almost care-free before me, as though she were invulnerable in the air. "Hey," I hissed. "Keep your guard up, will you? We've come too far to get stopped now."

Midna whirled around and gave a quiet giggle. "What the light world does to its hero's heads… Here in the Twilight, we don't booby-trap our temples! They're protected by a single guardian."

"You knew that and didn't warn me?"

Her face fell. "I'm sorry Link, I got so caught up with going for the sword, I didn't think about it."

"Don't worry about it," I said. "At least now I know what I'm up against."

We continued through the corridor into the main chamber. I gasped.

It was as wide as Hyrule Castle's Throne Room was long.

It was circular with a domed ceiling.

Every wall was adorned with mosaics and writings.

"Wow…" Midna breathed.

"You've never been here before?" I said as I craned my neck to study the ceiling.

"I never had a reason to," she replied. "I was always more concerned with the present than the past."

"By knowing the past we know the present," I mused. "We know how we got where we are. Besides, you seem to know enough about the past."

"It's amazing what I got force-fed as a child," she said casually. "Tales of our ancestors and legends made pretty good bedtime stories, and some managed to stick."

"Good thing they did," I noted. My gaze was grabbed by the panel to the right of the doorway we'd come through; I walked up and studied it more closely.

It was a scene straight out of Falrue's tale. A Hylian and a Twili ancestor stood before a dark sorcerer, the magic of light and shadow combining and countering the darkness before them.

"Amazing…" I whispered.

I felt a couple of taps on my shoulder and turned to face Midna. She was indicating the plinth in the chamber's centre. "History can wait," she said. "It's about all it can do."

"Not when you have an Ocarina…" I added, walking slowly over to the plinth.

Midna breathed a sigh of relief. "Finally."

The pedestal held a familiar, sinister sight. The ornate, twisted blade of the Sword of Twilight rose out of the stone.

Our goal.

We both stared at it for a very long moment, neither of us daring to act. Given what had erupted out of that pedestal the last time, my skin crawled when I thought of facing the Swordsman again. True, my bones had healed, but no matter how fast the Triforce put me back together, I'd be sore for a day afterwards. And I had no desire to take on two ravaging swordsmen in one day with a tender chest.

"What do you think?" Midna finally whispered, her gaze fixed heavily on the sword.

"In all honesty, I don't know," I replied. "Zant corrupted the sword which made the guardian attack us, right?"

She gave a soft nod.

"But only true Royals should ever be here…" I trailed off, shaking my head as I stood out of her sight. That train of thought led me to suggest Midna go for the sword again. After what had happened only hours before, that was the last thing I could ask her to do.

She drew a breath and sighed. She turned to face me. "I know," she said softly. "I know what you want to say. And I know it's tearing you up. But we've got a job to do. I've got to do this." Her eye was set. I gave her an understanding nod.

I gritted my teeth in fear as she floated very slowly towards the pedestal. I went with her. I realised what happened the last time; something had thrown her back, some kind of defensive magic. And for this exact reason, I walked just behind her, ready to catch her in an instant.

Until I was knocked off my feet.

A feeling of burning swept through my arm and my face as I lay on the floor, my head having taken another solid hit. Stars darted across my vision as I brought my other hand up to my head, groaning.

"Link!" I heard Midna yelp; it was followed by a yell of pain. I instantly forced myself to sit up, pushing all the pain and discomfort aside. _Something had hurt her!_

"Oh no…" I breathed.

Between us was a familiar, sinister sight, like glass decorated with red runes. A barrier of Shadow energy. And Midna was on the other side.

Trapped.

She held her hand as if I had been stung. "Oh Gods, Link! Don't move!" She said when she saw me sit up. But I was already trying to stand up…

"ARGH!" I grunted as I felt my forehead sting strongly. I put my hand out to balance myself, only to feel more driving pain. I collapsed heavily to the ground, and quickly became aware that she wasn't trapped.

The barrier surrounded me.

_I_ was trapped.

"Link, hold on!" She cried.

"Princess, help!" I heard another voice call, one I'd never heard before. What was going on..?

My Triforce burned and golden energy drove the pain back, clearing my head enough to look up. Through the barrier, I saw a similar sight on the opposite side of the pedestal – another cage of magic. And within…

There was a Twili imprisoned within it. It was a woman, her eyes fixed on Midna and wide in fear. Midna snapped around to her, and I could almost feel her jaw drop.

Much like I would soon do.

I felt the ground moving in that instant. As I looked down, I saw it moving away from me. The cage of magic was being pulled upwards. I had to pull my hands away from the floor as the ripples of powerful magic threatened to rip my arms off. Parts of my body covered by clothes could touch it, but that was the least of my worries.

I looked beneath me as the cage approached the ceiling. The bottom of my stomach fell away.

Below me, the stone floor parted; perfect stone split apart and spread away, revealing a black abyss. I realised what was going on, and when I looked to my side, I was proved right. And that did nothing to reassure me.

The Twili's cage of magic hovered over another abyss. Her eyes were so wide with fear I hoped they would stay in her head.

Midna seemed hypnotised by the Twili, but suddenly she looked back at me. Her entire face quivered.

_She knew she had to save one of us, but she couldn't make the choice._

I looked down again. The blackness below me seemed to have no end, but I guessed a solid floor was somewhere down there. I bit my lip such that Midna couldn't see. I might survive the fall, and my Triforce might just be able to save me, but in all likelihood, there was slim to no chance of me falling and living.

That compared to the Twili, who had no chance at all.

I looked back at Midna. I could see she had worked out the same thing, and I could feel her heart breaking. She was torn between the one she loved, and her people, who came before her. I blinked slowly to banish the thoughts of dying, looked her straight in the eyes and tried to smile as naturally as I could.

"Save her," I whispered. "I'll be fine…"

And that's when it happened.

The magic of the cage broke, and I fell.

And everything went black.

(~+~)

Oh Gods, why?

This wasn't fair. How could anyone be so cruel as to put me in this situation? My love or my people? Both held the same importance in my heart. To choose one before the other…

But I had to. Something nagged at me that it would all be right if I made that choice.

I would have chosen Link, but when he looked at me, his eyes full of acceptance, I had to stop. _Could he really be prepared to die? No, I needed him! Not just to beat Ganondorf, but I NEEDED him! I couldn't live without him!_

But my people always came first.

Those words were engraved on my very soul. They burned behind my eyes as I looked between him and the woman. There was no way I could abandon one of my own race. It went against everything my father taught me, everything I stood for. So I grimly made my choice.

When the cages broke, I knew there was no time to save them both. I only had enough magic to save one of them, and donning the Shadows would have condemned them both to death. So I mumbled the incantation and in an instant, a field of Shadow energy appeared over one of the pits.

Link and the Twili woman fell.

The Twili woman stopped.

My heart shattered to dust.

(~^~)

As I hurtled to the ground, so many things rushed through my mind. If I was going to die here, so much was left undone, so much unsaid…

As a warrior, I always knew I risked death on my quests, and deep down I knew that's how I could eventually die. And here I was, facing oblivion and accepting my imminent death.

The only thing I couldn't accept was that Midna would have to carry on alone. Perhaps she and Zelda could discover a way to defeat Ganondorf; after all, Zelda possessed Light magic…

The light around me grew dimmer, and I crossed through the pit into the blackness below. I was falling fast, and I heard a distorted cry from above me. A tear fell from my eye.

Midna…

But my thoughts would soon be cut short. I could feel something solid below me. Something rushing up to greet me far too fast.

* * *

I don't have much to say, except what did you think?  
Update: I expanded the ending as it didn't really fit in the next chapter. Doesn't make too much difference, but explains a bit more. Sorry to all who read the first draft!  
Cheers,  
Gargravarr


	31. Chapter 27: Choices Part 2

Updated 01/03/2010 6:11PM  
Okay, well, another short chapter. Technically, this counts as one along with the previous, but I couldn't resist sticking in the cliffhanger.  
Many thanks to ConGie, Ninja and Rebelgoddess (haven't seen you in a while!) for their reviews. Feel free to leave one review for both parts of this chapter if you haven't reviewed the previous!  
Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 27  
Choices, Part 2

(~+~)

"LINK!" I screamed as I turned to see him plummet through the open trapdoor. He had fallen silently, just the rush of air through his tunic to accompany his fall. He had to survive, he couldn't die here!

I grabbed the woman roughly by the arm and wrenched her off the magic barrier onto solid stone. Her head and wide eyes came up to me. "Thank you, Princess," she breathed to me, but I wasn't listening. I was already dashing for the pit.

I crouched right at the edge and stared down into oblivion. "LINK!" I yelled again, but heard no response. A tear welled up in my eye. I'd saved one life, played the Hero. And in doing so I'd lost my love. I'd done it; I'd condemned him to death. Why didn't I choose him? The thought sickened me.

I felt a hand on my shoulder; sniffling back tears, I turned to face the Twili woman. She stared down at me, her hand oddly cold.

"What are you doing here?" I said through my raging sadness. Her face broke into…

…Into a smile.

My skin crawled.

She was smiling? What reason had she to smile?! Didn't she know what I'd just sacrificed to save her??

"You are the true ruler of the Twili, Princess Midna," she said happily. My eyes widened. _How could she be saying this??_

"How can you stand there so happy and say things like that?" I roared, my tears flowing.

Her voice grew more powerful, yet no louder. It took on an almost ethereal feel. "Because you were prepared to give up everything to save one of your own," she said. Suddenly, she exploded into black Twilight particles. My heart stopped.

By themselves, the squares slowed and reversed their motion, reassembling into a new form.

"_My lady,"_ a voice said as it took shape. A strange, truly ethereal voice, but one of a Twili.

"What are you?" I cried.

The swirling black took the form of a Twili, but not a true one; it held a ghostly quality, like the Sages. _"My lady, I am Dorlan, guardian of the Temple of Twilight."_ The apparition bowed to me.

"What just happened?" I spluttered.

"_Princess Midna, you have proved yourself to be the true ruler of the Twilight,"_ Dorlan spoke. _"Concern for your people above all else, even your own happiness, is a quality only a true ruler possesses."_ Its hand swept around it, and I felt magic flow.

(~^~)

I hit something.

Something surprisingly soft.

Wait…

I wasn't dead, and I was falling much slower.

Eventually my falling ceased.

I cracked open my wet eyes.

I lay face-down on something, still amongst the darkness. I turned my head and looked up. Above me was a small square of light.

I had fallen a hundred feet, easily. So why was I still alive?

(~+~)

"You killed him!" I spat. "The man I loved, and you killed him!"

"_Calm yourself, Princess."_ In that instant, I was ready to rip the apparition's throat out. _"For he lives still."_

At that I stopped. "How?!" I roared.

"_None would have died here today, regardless of the choice you made. And you chose correctly."_

"L-Link?" I mumbled, my gaze swept over to the hole in the ground. Could it be…?

Something moved in the darkness. Something green…

"LINK!" I yelled, launching myself into him as fast as my magic could carry me. The green form shot upwards. It was him! He rose out of the pit on a platform of magic. It had broken his fall!

Our eyes met, his widened and his arms flew open to catch me. I hugged his neck tightly. "Oh Gods, I thought I'd lost you," I cried, my tears flowing freely into his tunic. I felt him kiss my cheek.

"I thought I'd lost you too…" he whispered, a tear of his own running down his cheek onto mine. Outside of Zelda's memory, I'd never seen him cry. He hugged me tightly, and I felt my heart come back together. I turned my head to kiss his lips. He returned the kiss with incredible strength.

When our lips finally parted, I looked Link in the eyes and gave him a weak punch to the shoulder. "Stupid, selfless, noble wolf..." I cried weakly.

"I'll never change..." he echoed, another tear rolling down his cheek. I threw myself into his shoulder again. It was still sinking in; I'd come so close to losing him, and yet I hadn't. His hand came up to hold my back. "Now let's get back on solid ground," he said with a weak laugh. I gave a smile he couldn't see.

We stepped off the magic onto the stone floor of the temple. At once, the holes in the floor sealed themselves again.

Link turned to the guardian spirit before him. He opened his mouth, but words would not come.

"_Princess Midna chose wisely,"_ Dorlan told him. _"She has proven that she is the Twili's true ruler, and that she could place her people before her heart should the need ever be called for."_

I could feel Link tense up. "What if something went wrong?"

"_Light-Dweller, please understand this was merely a test. No ill was meant to you."_

"You nearly broke my heart," I told the guardian. "What kind of ruler would I be if my heart was broken?"

Dorlan gave no answer. Instead, it turned and swept its arm over the pedestal. The sword shook slightly, before rising from the ground to float before us. _"The Sword of Twilight has granted you the chance of its acceptance. This is the prize you seek. Take it."_

I breathed deep again, but I felt warmth in my hand. Link had taken it in his, and he softly squeezed it in reassurance. I squeezed it back and floated forwards, within reach of the floating sword. I muttered a quiet prayer to the Twilight Gods as I reached for it, hardly daring to look. I could feel Link just behind me, once again ready to catch me…

My fingers brushed the hilt.

Nothing happened.

I cracked my eyes open and looked at the sword.

It was still there, and I hadn't moved.

I looked back at Link. Our eyes met and he nodded in reassurance. I nodded back, drew a deep breath and, with determination, wrapped my fingers around the hilt of the sword.

At once, I felt powerful Shadow magic flow through me. I could feel the sword as though it were another sorcerer. It was incredible!

I looked over the sword. I could hear its blade crackle with magic. Besides Link's Ordon Sword, I'd never held a blade before, and yet it felt so natural. The sword was balanced in my hand; I didn't have to stop it moving, just support it. I carefully rotated my wrist and watched the deadly edges glint in the Twilight.

"_Good luck, Princess,"_ came the guardian's voice before it again exploded into Twilight particles, which vanished into nothing before I could even yell, "WAIT!"

I looked back at Link. His eyes were still red and wet. I drew a handkerchief from my pocket and passed it to him; he dabbed his eyes dry, before looking upon the sword. "We did it," he whispered, his voice still unsteady. "We got it…"

"And I nearly lost you," I said sadly. "It wouldn't have been worth it."

"Midna, there's more at stake here than you and me. The safety of two worlds is hanging on us."

I bit my lip and wished there were something before me I could bang my head on. I didn't want it to be this way, but he was right. We both had duties to fulfil that were higher than either of us. "Shall we get out of here?"

He gazed onto the sword again and nodded. "We've got what we came for. Let's go."

* * *

Not much I know, but I didn't want to get bogged down in the emotion. That'll come next chapter :)  
I hope the last chapter didn't put anyone in the fetal position muttering 'Link must be okay' endlessly XD I knew Midna would have to retrieve the sword but at the same time, facing mega-bosses with obvious weaknesses is a little old, so I went for a more psychological route. Hope that's okay!  
Update: Anonymoose is right; these two have made gushing love confessions once per chapter so far, and the 'I love you's in the first draft weren't that appropriate, so I rewrote that little bit to make it more suitable to the situation.  
Until next time,  
Gargravarr


	32. Chapter 28: Choices Part 3

I decided to make this chapter the third part of the choices arc, as it's still not up to my average length, so really, chapters 26-28 are all part of the same, just with important events broken up. I'll try and make the next chapter full-length; time is something I'm short on recently.  
Thanks very much to Fox573, Seeker (knew SOMEONE would end up in the fetal position! XD), ConGie, MM and Anonymoose (I might just edit the last chapter based on that) for their reviews.  
Okay well, here's part 3! Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 28  
Choices, Part 3

(~^~)

I had never been more pleased to be wrong. I was never going to die in that temple. It had all been a test. A cruel test, yes, but a test nonetheless.

I couldn't hold it against Midna, what she did. It was hard enough for her to do so without me holding it over her. I was only glad to be back with her. She still quaked with emotion as I held her in my arms, my legs guiding us out of the temple by themselves. She truly thought she'd lost me, and that was something only she could come to terms with herself. Worse, she would be blaming herself for what she felt. The guardian had forced her hand to take that course of action. I felt bitter at it, but it was a good test. Even if it had consequences.

"What now?" I asked her gently.

Her wide, red eye slowly rose to meet mine. She held the gaze for a moment, before whispering, "We've got a job to do…"

"No," I whispered softly. "You're exhausted. We both need to rest before we face him."

She sniffled and slowly nodded. She turned her head to look for the floating island. I followed her gaze and saw it, many miles in the distance. "We can't chance the Palace…" she whispered. "I'm already there."

"Where could we go?"

She thought for a moment. "The Royal family has a retreat in the southernmost province. It's empty now."

"That sounds good. Can you warp us?" I said, offering if she couldn't.

"I think I can," she smiled. Perhaps the thought of well-earned rest had struck her. She closed her eyes and faced the sky. A moment later, we vanished in a storm of black, only to reappear seconds later.

We stood in the centre of an open field. Everywhere I looked, I could see no signs of life; there was very little wildlife in the Twilight, and none of it seemed to be around us. It was eerily peaceful.

Behind us was a quaint lodge, built of black stone like the palace. Its front wall held wide windows and an ornate, carved stone door. It had a flat roof and was roughly the size of Telma's bar.

Midna gently pried herself from my arms and floated over to the door. She placed her hand upon it and it slid quietly upwards. She motioned for me to join her inside.

The building was fairly well lit; the roof had windows and a small crystal in the centre of the ceiling provided steady light. There was an open fireplace, five armchairs, a sofa and a long table with smaller chairs in this room, which occupied the left-hand side of the building, a wall cutting the building in half to the right of the door. Towards the back wall was an archway through the wall.

The door slid quietly shut and Midna flopped down on an armchair. I took up the one closest to her. "It's a nice place," I said, looking at the various decorations on the walls. There were shields, swords, bows, arrows and helmets hanging from them, all ornate and very much for decoration only.

Midna sighed. "My father would bring me down here every year. I guess it'd be summer in the Light Realm."

"Don't you know?" I asked.

"The Twilight Realm doesn't have seasons," she said sadly. "We're lucky to get light at all. All because of some stupid grudge…" She trailed off.

I leant over and put my hand on her shoulder. She placed hers over mine and brightened slightly. "It wasn't your fault. You didn't ask for it."

"I know," she breathed. "But now that I know what life is like in the Light Realm… Link, I don't want to stay here!"

"We could find another place to stay…" I offered.

"No," she said firmly. Our eyes met. "I don't want to stay in the Twilight when all this is over!"

My mind backflipped. "B-but, your people…" I tried.

"Look what my duty to my people did. It nearly got you killed!" She said, her eyes bringing forth tears again. "Even though you're okay, I hate myself for what I did! I picked my people over you! I couldn't do that again. It broke my heart to make that choice."

I rose slowly, picked her up and laid us both out on the sofa, her head on my chest. I hugged her softly. "You did the right-"

"No I didn't!" She cried. "Link, you mean more to me than my own people. To them, I'm just a ruler. A good, kind ruler, but a ruler nonetheless, someone so high that I'm not a person to them. All I've ever known as a ruler is loneliness and heartache. I _love_ you, Link, with all my heart, with every _fibre_ of my being. I can never love them to the same degree!"

"And I love you more than I can say. I don't blame you for what you did. I only want the best for you, Midna," I whispered in her long ear. Where was she going with this…

"Link," she said through muffled tears. "You told me to live in the moment. But I can't stop thinking about the future. When all this is over, we have to accept that we're going to have to make some hard choices."

I rubbed her back gently. "I know."

"But do you know how hard those choices will be?" She sniffled. "We each have to decide what we truly want for ourselves, not just for each other."

"Midna, whatever you decide-"

"No, Link!"

"Midna, I love you, and I _know_ you. I _know_ that whatever you choose to do, I'll be happy with. You being happy is more important to me than anything."

She sniffled again. "Link…" she started, and paused. "Link… you do know me. And you know that I know you. Think about this, just one thing. If we carry on, if we stay together… where would we live?"

I fell silent for a moment. "I… I don't know…"

"Wherever we lived, the other would be torn between there and the other realm," she said quietly. "I may not like the Twilight much, but it's still been my home for the past nineteen years."

"I could live in the Twilight," I offered.

"Could you?" She said, carefully questioning. "Could you _really _be happy here? Give up your entire life in the Light Realm?"

I fell silent again.

"And what if other Twili don't accept you? I couldn't live with bringing you here to live and having you always on your guard. But though I'd love to live in the Light, I have my throne. As much as I no longer want to rule, I can't just leave them…"

"Midna, what are you saying? You'd give up your throne??"

"Yes, Link! You told me once that you'd die for me. Well I'd give up my life for you. I'd start again, from the bottom, to be with you. It's the only way I'd be happy."

I pulled her close and kissed her cheek. It was the only thing I could do.

"Link…" she said, slightly brighter. "I know you as well as you know yourself. The Twilight Realm's far too calm. Nothing happens here. It's all politics and words. You'd never be happy here. You'd miss the adventure. You'd sit around all day wasting your life, pining to go on another quest. I couldn't let you do that."

I kissed her cheek again, lost for words. She was completely right. I couldn't say it but she _knew_ me.

"You couldn't call this place home…" she finished, trailing off.

"Then I guess my home will have to be with you, wherever we go," I whispered.

She shook her head. "It still doesn't answer the question of what we'd do."

We both fell silent for a long time, my arms wrapped around Midna as she rested her hands on my neck. All I could think as I stared at the one I loved was how _much_ I loved her. Our situation was tearing her apart, and my heart ached for her. I loved her so much that her own happiness came before mine. And an idea came to me that could do just that. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a small object. My movements caused Midna to look up at me.

"What are you doing?" She whispered.

"What if there was a way to stop all this?" I offered. I spun the object in my hand and she looked at it. Her breath stopped for a long moment.

"Link…" she finally breathed.

I spun the Ocarina again. "We could change events," I said heavily. I looked at her. "We could stop your father trying to use the Shadow." I watched her eye fall shut and she took a deep breath. The thought must have been so tempting as to scream at her to do so. "One simple action, and he wouldn't have to leave you. You'd never be forced into this situation."

She sighed sadly. "Link… it's such a noble thought, but think of what it would change. That one event is the key to everything. That's what caused Zant to take the throne and invade the light world!"

"And we'd stop it all from happening. How many lives could we save, would be better?"

"How many lives could be lost if what Cronos said is true?" She countered. "We could destroy everything. It's too risky. We just can't interfere." She nestled closer to me. "Besides, if Zant had never attacked the Light Realm, we never would have met. My father's passing was a tragedy, yes, but at the same time it gave me you. And I couldn't give you up for anything. We have to lose things to appreciate what we have."

I froze as I thought through what she said. Her last sentence had such a weight to it I couldn't speak.

"You asked how many lives would be better. How many would be worse? I'll tell you. One, right before me. You'd lose everything again. I couldn't take that from you. No matter what."

Silence fell between us again. She was right. She was absolutely right. In my head it would be a simple decision. But my heart screamed at me that, deep down, I couldn't live that way.

For long moments it was quiet, until she spoke again.

"Link…" she whispered. Her eye came up to meet mine. "What happened to your family?"

(~+~)

I could tell the question had caught him off-guard, and his head fell. A tear glistened in his eye. Oh no.

"Link, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said it," I whispered, feeling regret now. I'd brought forth his tears again.

"No…" his voice was unsteady. "No… you told me your story; it's only fair that I tell you mine." He gave a sigh, rubbing my back again. His hands were so wonderfully warm… "I never knew my parents. I was found by Rusl outside Ordon some years ago now. All I can remember before that are odd faces. Most of them shocked." He gave a heavy sigh, and very gently brought both hands together between us. He softly tugged off his left glove to reveal his Triforce.

"People fear what they don't understand," he said quietly. "They didn't know what this mark truly was. And it scared them. No-one ever accepted me. I must have visited all the outlying villages in Hyrule. Sometimes, I'd find someone who'd take me in for a while; other times, I'd have to leave before the day even ended."

He gave a sad sigh. "I don't know how old I was when Rusl found me; I don't even know when I was born. Rusl thinks I was about four, but I can remember some things before that, so I think I was closer to six or seven. A lot of my childhood had gone in fear and distrust."

"I'm so sorry Link," I whispered. I could feel his sadness at the memories and I wouldn't push him to continue, but the ball was rolling. He seemed to want to get it off his chest.

"The village was much younger back then, much smaller. Rusl hadn't long married Uli and they were expecting Colin. Hanch and Sera had a strained relationship and Jaggle and Pergie weren't even a couple," he smiled slightly. "When Rusl told them about me, they opened their hearts to me. I'd never known so much love at once, but it just didn't sit right with me. I'd been on my own for so long…"

"…it didn't feel right not to be…" I suggested. He gave a soft nod.

"There was a little more to it. The first time I saw myself in a mirror, I remember asking Rusl why my ears were different. He didn't know and told me not to worry, but because everyone else had different ears to me, I always felt like I didn't belong. Like I was a sheep in a field of goats.

"No-one cared about it," he continued with another slight smile. "When they heard about what I'd been through, they all tried to be a family to me, but it was just overwhelming. I couldn't cope with it, being different and having been feared for so long. I always felt like my place was outside the village; there was a tree that always used to be my favourite place to go when I needed to be alone. I couldn't call the village home, and Rusl eventually offered to build me a house out of that tree."

"It's a nice house," I said softly.

"It really was the only place I could call home," he closed his eyes. "They all pitched in and helped build it. And I liked it when it was finished. It was somewhere I could be alone and safe. I could only ever cope with one or two people around me at a time until the kids were born. Rusl was great; he was the closest thing I ever had to a father, but he had his own son on the way, and I knew he couldn't love me like his own. He was more like an older best friend; maybe a brother, but not quite my father." He sighed. "I just don't know what happened to them. One day, when I was maybe twelve or thirteen, Rusl took me back to the villages, trying to find out what happened all those years ago. But no-one could, or would, tell us.

"So, over time, Ordon became my home and family, and I knew I had to give something back. I became great friends with the mayor. When his wife Dari died from a fever, with Ilia only nine, he told me he wanted me to be the mayor of the village one day. I didn't want to let him down, so I worked hard. Rusl bought Epona for me when we visited one of the villages. He always said she wanted to be my steed the moment she saw me. There was some kind of bond between us; she was orphaned, too, and lost in the world. She became my best friend, and Rusl taught me to ride. I took up goat-herding and swordsmanship and trained for years, but I always knew something was missing. I guess, with everything I went through…" His voice quietened. "I just grew up too fast."

I really felt for him in that moment. He'd matured before his time, and it had cost him his childhood. It was strange how we were such extreme opposites again; when I grew up, I'd been starved of the attention Link had seen willingly given to him, but where I wanted it, he just couldn't cope with it. He'd learned to be alone, and it had stuck with him.

"And then I met you," he continued. "And I felt things I'd never felt before. I'd never felt such a strong connection to anyone. You helped me to open up, to realise that being different could be a strength. That I didn't have to be alone."

"And you taught me never to give up, Link," I whispered. "I'm not going to. We're going to beat this. And we're going to find a way to be together. We've been through far too much."

He gave a soft nod and raised his hand, still holding the Ocarina. "Not yet…" he whispered, placing it in his pocket. He relaxed, eyes closed as he held me close, before his grip slackened slightly. I felt his breaths shallow and knew he'd fallen asleep. I shuffled slightly on his chest; I knew there were many comfortable beds in the other side of the retreat, but I had no desire to leave him or disturb him. It wasn't long before I felt sleep coming for me as I lay in his warm arms.

(~*~)

"Link!"

I dully realised that voice was my own. The last thing I'd call out, before the darkness took me. As if that would bring him to me to save me…

But wait…

The darkness wasn't moving. It held fast, letting some light into my eyes. Suddenly I felt a golden glow banish the darkness and my sight came rushing back.

And then the world rushed past me as I was sent flying backwards into a solid object. My body was still numb to pain, but stars clouded my vision for a moment. When they cleared, I looked around myself.

The clouds of Nothingness around us were broken and fading. From the place I had cast my star, I saw the Gerudo, his arm outstretched, his hand and face twitching in rage. I quickly realised I was on the Void Stone.

"What have you done, Princess?" The sorcerer spat.

Why was I still alive? So he could demand a question I didn't know how to answer? "Fought you to my last breath," I replied in venom.

"Look around you!" He screeched. I did.

The stone walls of the prison weren't steady, as they had been. They began to shimmer, as if I were looking at them through a puddle of hot water. Everything around us was the same.

As I watched, the sand at his feet swirled for a moment; as it was whipped into the air, it vanished.

"_The flow of time has been altered," _came a soft, ethereal voice. I knew who that was.

The Sage of Time.

I couldn't place why, but I felt an incredible connection to that voice. It spoke to me whenever the elements were out of balance. It had been the one to warn me of the first coming of Twilight, but what could a young girl do about it anyway?

Ganondorf wheeled around, his eyes fixed on the faint ghost of the Sage. The others appeared and surrounded him. "Speak!" He commanded.

The Sage of Time's voice took on an odd ring. Normally, their voices were flat and steady, but I thought I could hear a touch of pride in the Sage's voice _"History has been changed, Evil One. This time is no longer possible, and it is my duty to ensure it no longer exists."_

"IMPOSSIBLE!" The Gerudo roared, drawing the short sword he held at his waist.

"_Even if you held a blade that could face us, your actions would have no effects,"_ the Sage said, almost glee in its voice. It turned to face me, joined a moment later by all the others, who sank into a unison bow before me. _"Goodbye,"_ they said in eerie chorus. With that, they vanished.

I felt my heart sink in that moment. The time we were in was about to end, and take everything with it. Including me. I could only pray that time was playing out for the better.

Suddenly I became aware of his presence, so close to me. I couldn't struggle against the magic that bound me, and when I looked away from the vile creature, I felt an unseen hand roughly force my head back to meet eyes with him. "The Hero has won again, Ganondorf," I spat at him. "Whatever you do now will cease to exist in moments."

The sorcerer snarled. "To be this close and be denied? I will have my vengeance. No matter what that Hero thinks he can do, he cannot stand before me. He has simply drawn himself and others along a different path to defeat." I looked in horror as he raised the sword. Behind him, the stone pillars of the prison seemed to shimmer out of existence. "If my actions have no consequences, I have no trouble with this," he said coldly.

He swung the sword.

My body bucked.

Held against the column, I could do nothing as the sword plunged deep into my chest. The pain that roared from the wound set off something primitive within me. It built to a point before vanishing completely. I followed the flow of blood, my crimson life, pouring down the sword onto the ground for a moment, before returning my sight to the sorcerer. I had one final breath and I began to use it, so slowly and weakly. "I was dead already, but if this has happened, I have hope. And you have your doom. The Hero always prevails."

My sight faded to black. The last I saw was of the columns vanishing and the Gerudo throwing his head back to roar as I

* * *

All I have to say is that there isn't any text missing.  
Until next time,  
Gargravarr


	33. Part 5 Interlude: Preperation

Updated 21-03-2010 3:50PM  
Okay, you can be forgiven for thinking I was dead! Uni work's been absolutely **manic** recently! Last week I had three pieces of coursework due in one after the other, then I spent most of last weekend on the road - I covered 720 miles in three days between Kent, Sheffield and Tremadog in North Wales! Added to this, I went through some personal things in the last fortnight; nothing too serious, but a bit of an outlook change.  
By way of apology, here's the next chapter of Heroes. I now have a Twitter account and I'll try to post on there my estimates on the readiness of the next chapter. The link's on my profile.  
I've noticed people are commenting Heroes is getting too heavy with the romance, and I'll concede I've gotten a little carried away. If it gets too mushy, by all means point it out, and if you can specify _where_ it gets too romantic, it would be really appreciated. Otherwise, I'm trying to do what Anonymoose has recommended and swing Heroes more towards plot than uber-romance :) You'll also notice that I'm starting a new part; the last part was the lead-up, now the ass-kickings can begin! Starting now is Part 5 - Redemption.  
I also have a website that may or may not work (link will also be on my profile); it's being hosted on my new server made out of a modified Xbox console. I'll be posting some further information on Heroes there, such as full backstories and bios for the characters, along with PDFs of the chapters so far. When Heroes reaches its completion, I'll compile the whole thing into a PDF if anyone wants a copy. Might add some art as well, if I can figure out how to draw!  
Anyway, enough rambling, on with the show!  
Enjoy!

* * *

Part 5 Interlude  
Preparation

(~+~)

I was the first to awaken, my breathing fast and my limbs slightly shaking. That dream had not been pleasant. I wiped the cold sweat from my arms and shuddered. The last words still rang around my head. _"Maybe light and shadow never were meant to mix…"_

I sighed for a moment, trying to block out the image of Link, his tunic torn and bloody, his eyes half-closed and fixed on me. Just behind him had stood a Twili armed with a knife, now dripping Link's blood. Link had whispered that to me as he lay on the ground with me at his side, trying desperately to mend his wounds while the Twili stared in satisfaction at his work. And when I looked up, I saw Rallic's face…

_That could happen to Link,_ I thought with another shudder. _No matter how much I try to tell them, light dwellers were, in part, responsible for our banishment. And some will never understand…_

I opened my eyes to Link. He was still fast asleep, his breathing slow and steady. He was so calm and relaxed. I felt the warmth on my back and realised his hand was still on me. As I fixed on that warmth, the dream faded like water on a hot day. In moments, it was gone.

How did this simple ranch-hand have the power to soothe my thoughts without uttering a word? How could I feel so protected just by the knowledge that he was near me?

How could I ever have given him up?

None of those questions mattered when I thought of how we were together again.

He was worth it, I thought. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him by my side, no matter what choice I would have to make. How hard could it be to find a new ruler for the Twili? The council had enough power to rule by themselves, just that I could (and usually did) overrule them. I couldn't stand the council much longer, anyway. Either I'd have to replace the lot of them, or let them have the power they sought. Perhaps it would wake them up, tell them that there was much more to ruling a land than making snap decisions or writing important-sounding documents…

But a thought caught me. I didn't like it, but as the last of the Royal blood, I had a responsibility to ensure the safety and stability of my people. A responsibility put in place before I was even born, and I was bound by it. Like Link, but nowhere near the same degree. I couldn't step aside and clear the way for another traitor like Zant to take over.

There wasn't much left for me in this realm bar my responsibility to my people. Given the chance, I'd gladly pack up and move to the Light to be with Link. I knew it was worth it. But at the same time, I couldn't just leave. And it was tearing me apart.

It was the toughest decision I would ever have to make, and I didn't want to even think about it. A tear rolled down my cheek as I thought of the two options, the droplet softly prickling my cheek as it did. I remembered with a pang of guilt how I'd tried to make the same decision months ago. I wiped it away and looked back at Link, still asleep, blissfully unaware of the torment wracking my mind. I lay my head down on his chest, hearing his heart beat softly accompanied by his quiet breathing. For a moment our hearts beat together, light and shadow as one.

A moment later, it faded, light and shadow separated again once more.

"Why does it have to be so hard…" I breathed, closing my eyes.

*

(~^~)

_Darkness pursued me as I ran for my life. There was no fighting it, there was just running. Running through fields of light that were swallowed up by this growing darkness._

_I ran for an unthinkable amount of time, never tiring. Perhaps courage was knowing when a fight was unwinnable and turning away. Because this was definitely courageous, by that idea._

_Finally the light ran out._

_I stood alone on a small square of light, darkness on every side, thick and heavy like storm clouds. It edged into the square, drinking up the light. There was no escape except through the darkness. And that would surely be the end._

_The end of the Hero. Born, lived, died alone. The way it was._

"_Eee hee hee…"_

_I looked frantically around for the source of the sound. It was oddly familiar._

_Suddenly a tiny imp descended before me, its one visible eye locking with mine. "It's not your time to fall yet, Hero…" its female voice giggled. She dived into me and kissed me!_

_And in that instant everything went right._

_The darkness closing in on us stopped._

_Golden light and veils of shadow charged out into the darkness from where we stood and tore it apart._

_My memories seated themselves. Midna…_

_She parted lips with me and looked me in the eye. "You're never alone, and I won't let you fall," she said tenderly. "No matter what, Link."_

"_Link."_

"_Link!"_

"Liiiink!"

"Huh…?" I groaned softy, my eyes twitching open for a moment before falling shut again. At least the light didn't blind me. I became aware of someone shaking my shoulders. "Midna…?"

"Who else would it be?" Her voice said, a voice that told me unquestionably that her eyes were rolling. "Farore?"

"She's probably not a morning person…" I mumbled as I stretched. I felt a weight pressing on my front and realised Midna was on my stomach. I opened my eyes to meet hers. "Is it morning?" I wondered. It wasn't exactly easy to tell here.

"Close enough," she grinned. "I think you've slept long enough."

I stretched and yawned, revelling in the feeling of a rewarding stretch. Without noticing, I scratched just above my right eye and yawned again. "Sleep well?"

I saw her face twitch and the smile dropped for an instant before she caught it. "Yeah," she said. My face fell. I knew she didn't mean it.

"What's up?" I asked her. Her face twitched again, but she didn't speak, her face slowly falling. "Thinking about the future again?" I asked her softly, trying to coax her to talk about it.

She looked away but gave a nod. I reached up with one hand and cupped her chin, gently directing her head to look me in the eyes. "We're both under a lot of stress, Midna. It's okay to be anxious about the future. Try not to think about it until we have a clearer path ahead of us. We've still got a job to do."

She gave another nod, her eyes closing as she did. Seeing this, I moved my hand around the back of her head and very gently pulled her close, kissing her on the lips; a move she immediately returned. "Okay," she whispered in my ear. She hugged my neck for a moment before looking me in the eyes again. A smile graced her wonderful lips. "Now up you get, wolf-boy!"

I grinned and pushed up from the sofa, holding her as I turned on the seat until she sat in my lap. "Any food in this place? I'm starving."

"Do we have time?" She wondered aloud.

I grinned and pulled the Ocarina out of my pocket, tossing it in the air a few times to make a point. "All the time in the world, literally!"

She grinned back. "I keep forgetting it's a year ago. Still feels like we've got a job to do right this instant, even though it's a year from now!"

"I know," I replied softly. "We still do. It's not right to sit around and wait, but we've got all the time we need to get ready."

She nodded. "I'll have a look in the kitchen, but don't expect anything exceptional. Twili food can't hold a candle to Light World food."

"As long as it's food, I don't care. Remember what we ended up eating on our quest?"

She grimaced. "Ugh, I thought I asked you never to bring that up again!"

I gave a quiet chuckle and kissed her again. "Is there somewhere I can wash?"

"There's a well outside for water, and a washroom through the kitchen. Get enough water for me to have something to drink," she asked. "I'll see what we've got food-wise. It might not be much." She gave me a kiss on my cheek and floated off through the doorway at the end of the lodge.

I stretched my arms and stood up, bracing my hands against my back to settle my spine. I'd slept in worse positions, but those had never encouraged me to get comfortable. Sleeping on a sofa with someone on my chest, however…

I walked up to the doorway without looking, my mind telling me where things I might bump into were.

That didn't include the door.

Fortunately my outstretched arm stopped me walking into it. I then remembered it was a magical door. "Midna?" I called.

The sound of someone rustling through cupboards suddenly ceased and the stone helmet appeared at head-height around the door. Her eye became visible and she immediately giggled. I rolled my eyes and sighed. "Some help?"

"You want out of here, you're going to have to work it out!" She laughed. She began watching intently.

I snorted a quiet laugh and turned to the door. Midna had opened every door when we'd retaken the palace, that was true, but could it really be so difficult? I remembered what she'd done when we came here and placed my hand on the stone door. _Open!_ I thought forcefully. My Triforce warmed slightly.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then suddenly the runes lit up and the door slid up out of the way. I looked back at Midna with a smug expression, twitched my eyebrows and said, "Well, looks like I don't need you after all!"

She gave a playful growl and raised her right hand, flicking a spark of purple magic in my direction. I dodged through the door. "Do that again and the water's going over your head!" I called back at her as the door slid closed. I laughed at the encounter. It didn't take much to bring her back to her playful self, even facing what we were.

It was the fact that we were together that had done this. She'd told me with such conviction last night that she was willing to give up her throne if it let us remain as we were that it was scaring me. How could I, a lowly farm hand, be so worthy of her, a high Princess? I couldn't push her into giving up everything she had; Zant had done that by force and it nearly destroyed her. I tried to put it down to stress; the future rode on the both of us once again, the fate of two worlds. I had to hope she wasn't as serious as she seemed; if she forced herself to do something she would later regret because of me, I'd never forgive myself. But her will was very strong; I couldn't stop her once she'd made a decision, nor could I truly change her mind, so the best I could do was delay the making of that decision.

_Maybe when all this is over,_ I thought as I reached the well, _the Goddesses' plan will reveal itself._

The Sages had told me there was more going on than either of us could understand. They'd hinted that the Goddesses were planning something, and though I knew I could never hope to know what it was, I couldn't stop wondering what it was. As I drew the filled bucket up the well, I saw two options. One, they were planning to wait until evil was vanquished for good and then separate the worlds forever. Or two, perhaps the union of light and shadow would span beyond just Midna and me…

I lifted the heavy bucket off the hook with little effort. I couldn't help but feel pride at how strong the quest and my training had made me. Heavy lifting came naturally to me, and yet unlike others who trained to extremes to develop their muscles, I had complete control over mine. I never expended more energy than I needed to, nor would I ever use too much or too little force.

I walked back to the door and again placed my left hand on it. With one thought, the door slid open.

And I felt a wet rush across my face, forcing my eyes to slam shut.

I stood there for a moment, blowing the water that had soaked me away from my face. I opened my eyes. Before me floated Midna, armed with a bucket of her own. She seemed to be fighting not to burst out laughing. "Hey, look, I found some water in here already!" She said, collapsing into a midair fit of laughter as she did. "Don't ever say you don't need me, wolf-boy!"

I stood quite calmly, trying not to explode into laughter myself. I should have expected this! A warm smile broke through my face even though the cool water had seeped into my tunic, and in one fluid motion, I brought the full bucket over Midna and emptied its contents over the floating heap of laughter.

"WARGH!" She yelled as the water rushed over her, dropping her own empty bucket and shaking herself. "You need _that much_ water to wash??" She swept her hands down her arms to shake the water off.

"Now _that_ covers the month's worth of shaking wake-ups!" I smiled.

She laughed softly. "Oh joy, what else have you got planned?"

"Do you _really_ want to know?" I said playfully.

She bit her lip in mock fear. "Probably not!" She laughed. "Ugh, that was a lot of water…" She groaned, looking over her dripping body and at my soaked clothes. She closed her eyes and snapped her fingers.

In an instant, the feeling of wet cloth around me vanished. I patted my shoulders; my clothes were dry! "How…" I started, amazed.

Midna giggled. "I got bored and looked up some charms for the elements."

"Glad to see you kept yourself busy," I muttered. "That one would have come in useful on at least fifty occasions…" I noticed she was completely dry as well. She had some powerful magic…

"Charms like that take quite some power, buster, and months to master," Midna smiled. "Now, how about some more water?"

"I should make you get it," I mumbled.

"One: you threw it over me. Two: I didn't force you to do so, you acted like a child freely, and three: well, one word. Princess." The toothy grin reappeared.

I held my hands up in defeat and walked back to the well, muttering, "Some people simply don't grow up…"

*

"Find anything?" I asked, heading into the kitchen with a second bucket full of water. My hand tensed ever so slightly should she have found any more…

A tray appeared level with my nose, which was swiftly lowered so that I could see its contents. It was sparsely populated with what I assumed to be food, though none of it looked particularly appetising.

"Doesn't look like much," came a voice. My gaze rose to see Midna behind the tray, supporting it with her usual mystical means. She made a face and continued, "And frankly, it isn't."

"Food's food," I said nonchalantly.

"Keep telling yourself that, buster," she mumbled with a smile.

I glanced away for a moment in response. "Mind if I wash first?" I indicated the bucket.

"Go right ahead, it's not going to get cold," she smiled, flicking her fingers; a small burst of fire erupted from her fingertips, and I felt myself flinch slightly. She laughed. "I'm working on earth and air!"

_Yikes,_ I thought as she picked up two cups and dunked them into the bucket, gathering some water. I found the washroom, which had a bench and a mirror and made myself busy cleaning off the last few days' worth of fighting and travelling. Midna was always the first to complain whenever I needed a wash; once, she'd warped me, as a wolf, straight into Ordon Spring and proceeded to roughly scrub my fur, complaining about 'dog smell.' I smiled slightly as I felt the water lift the effort from the last fight from my recovering body.

*

A short time later I returned to the sitting room, where Midna had placed the tray on the long table. She was picking idly at the food with a fork, her head held in her other hand. I could tell she was again deep in thought, so I took up a chair beside her, grabbed the second utensil and took a forkful of some grey-coloured substance. I studied it for a moment before trying it.

It wasn't that bad, not entirely unlike potato, but extremely bland and tasteless. I couldn't imagine eating this kind of stuff regularly. "Ugh, is flavour exclusive to the Light Realm?" I said perhaps a little too brashly.

"You could say that," Midna sighed without looking up. "Just one of the reasons why I want to leave this place behind."

"Is it something you truly want?" I asked softly.

She was silent for a moment, before sighing. "I don't know. I don't know what to think any more. This year turned both our worlds upside down."

"Almost literally," I added, taking the second cup and drinking some water. The taste of nothing was quickly replaced by nothing…

"I'm trying not to think about it, but it's hard," she said quietly.

"Look," I said, fixing a gaze on her that seemed to draw her eye to mine. "Let's just defeat Ganondorf and then we'll have a clearer picture of what we can do."

She gave me a very odd expression for a moment, before laughing quietly yet heartily. I thought through what I'd just said and realised why she was laughing, cracking a smile.

"Gods Link, you say that like it's just a chore!" She chuckled.

I laughed quietly. "When you've faced him once already and won, it stops being so special," I said, taking another drink of water.

She gave another chuckle, her face holding a wide smile. "Yeah, I guess it does." I could sense she'd cheered up a lot. Her face became serious, but didn't lose that spark of happiness. "I'm not so scared of him any more. We can beat him."

I laid my hand on the table, palm up and open, in the Hyrulean gesture of teamwork. "We can and we will," I confirmed. Midna placed her hand in mine and gripped tightly. I returned the gesture, feeling the warmth flow between us. We both gave the other strength, and knowing Midna was with me on this gave me more than enough to fight for. "You ready?"

She shovelled another fork of whatever that grey stuff was into her mouth, chewed and swallowed. "That's about all I can stand of this stuff, so yeah. Let's get going." She stood from her chair. I followed suit.

"Got the sword?" I asked, looking around for anything we might have left here. We'd be coming back to return the sword, but I still didn't want to leave anything important.

Midna waved her arm and the dull steel blade appeared from her pocket, where she'd stashed it the day before. She turned the sword over and looked at her faint reflection in it. "Pretty impressive how it was made…" she noted.

"Whoever forged it didn't know subtlety," I added.

She smiled. "The Twili in a nutshell, Link." She gingerly reached out and took hold of the hilt.

(~+~)

Link always showed so much attention to his sword, like it was a living thing. I knew it was enchanted but it was something I could never understand.

Until now.

Holding this elegant, vicious blade just felt… _right_. It felt like more than steel, more than the ornate jewels that adorned its hilt. It really was more than its parts.

It was so light and easy to handle, much lighter than it appeared. I couldn't compare, but it seemed just light enough for me. It felt so natural, like the blade had been created for me alone.

Which was strange because the only sword I'd ever held was Link's Ordon blade and the last time I'd used that I'd nearly given my little wolf a haircut, I thought with a grin. But that sword had been bulky and heavy; my arm ached after just a few swings. Whereas this…

I tried a swing with it, and felt a clash of steel against steel. "What the…" I muttered, following the sword around me.

Beside me, the Twilight Sword had hit the Master Sword; Link held the Light sword, his eyes wide in fright. He let out a panicked breath. "Be careful where you're swinging that thing, will you?!"

"Sorry!" I said sheepishly. I realised the backswing of the sword, if not intercepted, would have carried on into Link's shoulder…

Link's arm twitched, which I put down to the sudden shock, but then he twitched again. This wasn't like him. "Link?" I said quietly.

"Something's… odd…" he whispered, staring at the swords.

(~^~)

I couldn't explain it. My Triforce had awoken and was burning on my hand. I couldn't pull the swords apart; trying to do so only made the relic burn brighter. I couldn't release my hand either.

Suddenly I felt the golden energy flow into the blade, like warm water rushing up my sword arm. The steel took on a slight golden glow, and my eyes widened when I saw black squares appear in the blade of Midna's sword. They started to move, coming towards the point where our swords met.

"Something's wrong here," I said. "Can you pull your sword away?"

"What?" She said, confused.

"Can you?" I said with some urgency.

I saw her arm twitch and her eye widen. "No, I can't!" She exclaimed.

Magic was swirling around us. My skin tingled when I recognised it.

Light and Shadow magic, becoming one…

"Oh Goddesses…" I breathed

"What?" She fired at me.

"I think the legend's coming true…" I whispered.

Midna's eye flew open wide. "Here? No, we can't risk it!"

I felt a pulse of Shadow magic from her, which my Triforce then matched. The magic flowing around us was building…

"Whoa, easy!" I said, then paused. I took a breath and adopted a calming voice. "We're both scared and it's causing this to happen," I guessed. She took a breath and nodded. "We just both need to relax," I suggested.

Midna's lip was quivering in worry, but she bit it and nodded, drawing in a very deep breath and closing her eyes. I copied the action, letting my eyes fall closed and breathing very slowly. I focused on the golden energy swirling within me and tried to quell it. It felt like putting out a fire, trying to force the magic down, and for long moments it didn't seem to work. It was taking a lot for me to stay calm, but I had to start wondering what would happen if the magic united here. I dreaded the thought of releasing the power now, within a house of all places. Even if the place survived, we were facing a powerful enemy and needed every ounce of magic…

That did it.

Suddenly I felt the magic retreat; the swirling energies around us broke apart, having never merged. Finally, I felt the swords separate and breathed a sign of relief. Midna also let out a breath, her eyes still wide.

"What in the name of everything holy just happened?!" She fired, still shaking slightly.

I looked down at the lowered Master Sword. Flecks of Shadow magic still played over its surface. As I watched, the squares rose from the blade and darted back into Midna's still-raised sword. I felt a satisfied smile cross my face.

"I think we've found the key, Midna," I said, confidence filling me. This was the answer we had sought. It had to be. "The Union of Light and Shadow that will defeat Darkness."

As she listened, I saw her adopt a similar expression. One of confidence and determination. "It has to be," she agreed. She balled up her fist punched her other hand. "Up for trying it out?"

"On the Nothingness, yes," I said, removing the Ocarina from my pocket. "I don't want to burn through both our magics before we face it. We might only have one shot."

"You sure you don't want to practise first?" She queried.

"Sometimes you've got to rush headlong into these things," I replied.

She adopted a grin. "Well it hasn't killed you yet, but all you need is a first time…"

I rolled my eyes.

"If you're sure, I'll trust you," she said sincerely. "Let's go."

I checked we had everything. As I did, Midna snapped her fingers, making the sword in her hand vanish in a puff of Twilight. I looked back at her and nodded. We approached the door, which I opened with a smile in Midna's direction, and as we left the retreat, I raised the Ocarina as Midna perched on my shoulder.

*

(~*~)

"Link?" I said as he stared at the stone.

He sighed. "You ever get the feeling that you've worked so hard to get somewhere, then when everything's in place, you don't want to go there?" He twisted his head to watch my response.

"It is natural to feel apprehensive about these situations. I believe it was you who told me that the future is uncertain for a reason."

In that moment, his face changed. Gone was the uncertainty, the traces of fear, to be replaced by pure determination. His sapphire eyes began to glimmer. "To live is to risk," he said to me.

I nodded once in agreement, walking up to his side as he turned back to the Mirror. He watched it for a moment, before saying with complete conviction, "Let's go."

Midna nodded firmly in agreement, and floated up out of his arms. She hovered before the Mirror, taking in the perfect reassembly Link had done. Perhaps she realised this was his doing in that moment, as her eyes began to show a burning fire in their red and orange depths. She seemed as determined as he.

* * *

Anyone else getting déjà vu here? XD  
So, tell me what you think. I'll try and make the next chapter full length and finish the final arc.  
Yup, you read that right. Part 5 should be the home straight.  
I'll leave you all to think about that and get back to work!  
Update: made some minor corrections and adjusted Link's wake-up; he opens his eyes twice and I didn't notice :)  
Gargravarr


	34. Chapter 29: Edge of Darkness

Updated 26-03-2010 12:34AM, 27-03-2010 11:59PM, 29-03-2010 12:50AM  
Well, here we go! Managed to keep to a schedule this time! Not much I want to say, apart from thank you very much to Anonymoose, mynameisthedoctor (welcome new reader!), Storylover213, Fox, Seeker, Zel and MM for their reviews! Cheers!  
Well, enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 29  
Edge of Darkness

(~+~)

When the world finally righted itself and ceased spinning, I shook my head and secured my grip on Link. I opened my eyes.

Darkness surrounded us again, but it was much different now. There was light at our feet, carving a circle twenty feet wide around us. Much more than enough to fight anything we came across.

The oddest thing, though, was that Link hadn't drawn his sword; the sacred blade was still in its scabbard on his back.

"Impressive," I muttered as I looked around us.

We were right outside the retreat, in the same place as we'd left. Only now, the Nothingness had returned.

"Must be the right time," Link said as he took in his surroundings.

"What gave that away," I mumbled, pushing myself into the air.

He ignored the comment. "Looks like Rauru was right. I can see without even holding the sword."

"Shouldn't really be possible," I concluded; the steel was wrapped in leather behind Link's back, after all.

"Do I need to say it?" Link laughed quietly, turning to look at me with a slight glimmer in his eyes.

"About the impossible stuff you do before breakfast? Nope," I grinned.

"Right…" he thought aloud. "We know the Nothingness sprung from a small area of the Realm, right?"

"You're going to take Zant at his word?" I quizzed.

"It makes sense," he replied, tossing the Ocarina once and placing it into his pocket. "You said it grew from where it normally rested. And if it's really Tessek, it could mean there's a gateway in the centre of the original Nothingness. Ganondorf could have figured out a way to draw more of it through."

"I still don't want to trust him," I said. No matter what he said, Zant had joined forces with Ganondorf. I didn't care that he didn't know what he was getting himself into; being offered great power by a sentient storm cloud would have had me running for the hills.

"He's been right so far," Link pointed out. Regrettably, I had to agree.

"Not that there was much to be right about in the first place," I concluded. As I watched, Link's expression drooped. "What?" I said quietly.

"He was right about making me leave…" Link replied in a soft voice. "I just can't shake the feeling… He forced me to do all of this. All along, I thought this was something I wanted for myself. But he made me do it all…"

"Link…" I said in reassurance. "What Zant used on you is the Power of Suggestion." Link's ears perked up and he listened intently to my words. "It is a very subtle ability whose purpose is to persuade you to agree with the one using it. The one thing it can't do is change your mind, though; if even a measure of you agrees with its user in some way, those thoughts are brought to the surface. Those thoughts were never Zant's, Link. They were always yours; Zant just made you face them."

"So you mean…" He whispered.

I nodded, placing my hand on his arm. "All along, you wanted us to come back together." I gave a smile at the thought. "And secretly, so did I."

"Even though you…" he trailed off, unable to complete the thought. He brought his hand up to his head, covering his eyes and shaking it. "I don't mean…" He tried to recover.

I sighed, knowing exactly what he wanted to say, and softly cut him off. "It's okay. I missed you so much, though for a time I couldn't admit to myself that I loved you, but for the sake of the Realm, I couldn't do anything about it."

His arms slowly flowed around me and drew me into a warm hug. He placed a kiss on my cheek. "It doesn't matter now. Thank you Midna. It means a lot to me to know that it really was me all along, not him. That it really was me that loved you…"

"You had doubts?" I whispered back playfully. I didn't doubt him; the look in his eyes whenever he looked at me spoke louder than his voice. Even so, his face bore an uncertain look.

"I don't know… Ever since he told me, I couldn't shake the feeling."

I leant back in his arms and kissed him tenderly on the lips. He tightened his embrace and I did the same with his neck. After a moment, we parted and I looked up at him. "Try now," I suggested warmly.

Link's face turned slowly to a wide smile and he nodded softly.

I grinned at him. "Much better! Listen to your heart, Link. Sometimes, it's right."

"Thanks," he whispered, before adopting a look of determination. He nodded firmly.

"Hold onto me," I said, offering my hands to him. "Let's find this temple."

Link softly took hold of my hands and closed his eyes. Holding him securely, I tapped into the Shadow magic at my command, sending it swirling around us as I felt a chill sweep through me.

_I was taking us deep to the Nothingness itself._

I couldn't take us to the centre as I didn't know where the centre was, but I knew where the boundary was from throwing Rallic into it. It didn't stop the idea scaring me.

We were heading deep into the darkness that had swallowed my Realm and my people. I shuddered at the thought.

The magic grabbed us and sent us spiralling into the void, only to reappear moments later. I looked around and grimaced.

_We were here._

This was the point from which the darkness had expanded; where everything had started from. It sent a shiver through my body when I remembered seeing the blackness expanding out, consuming everything…

I felt my hand move and realised Link had never let go of it. He stroked my hand with a gentle but firm touch, his other hand resting on my shoulder. I opened my eyes to look at him.

"Hey…" he whispered. "It's okay. We're going to beat this."

I bit my lip, placing my hand over his. Though I felt some reassurance, I still felt the cold fear roiling in the pit of my stomach.

I pushed it away, ignoring it as much as I could. I took a deep breath, squeezing Link's hand, as if the action would squeeze some of his courage into me. Somehow, I did feel slightly better. "We will," I finally said.

Link turned to look around. "Which way?" He asked; the Nothingness made the surrounding area very difficult to navigate.

I looked at the ground, tracing the stone and looking for any shapes that would orient me. I knew roughly where we were, but as for where we were facing, it could be any direction.

Even in the enhanced circle of light around us, there wasn't much to give away our location, but I remembered an old trick for navigation. The Palace had an immense field of Shadow magic around it, so powerful that even inexperienced magic users could feel it. I reached out with my magic, feeling all around me for the scent of that power.

I focused hard and eventually felt the magic, behind and slightly to the left of us. I thought carefully, remembering the relation of the Palace to this place, where I had brought Rallic months ago. Still feeling the distant magic, I slowly turned around, imagining the scene before me. Months ago, when I stood here, my restored abilities meant I could feel the Palace without even trying. I tried my hardest to remember that feeling, and kept turning slowly until I felt it again.

"Here," I whispered, my eyes still scrunched closed. The feeling of magic in the past and present had aligned. As long as we were in the right place, I was facing what was once the wall of Nothingness. I slowly opened my eyes.

Still darkness around us, still nothing to give away the place the Nothingness had previously been limited to. Link came to my side and faced the same way. "This way?" He confirmed softly.

"Yeah, I hope," I replied honestly.

He patted my shoulder. "I trust you. You've never sent us wrong before."

"A lot of that was just instinct," I admitted.

He turned to smile at me. "Your instincts are pretty good."

I returned a wider smile. "Coming from someone who goes by instinct alone, wolf-boy, I'm honoured."

He looked back at the blackness before us. "What are your instincts telling you now?"

I bit my lip. "That in the centre of all this is something so evil even Ganondorf would run away screaming like a little girl."

Link half-laughed at the thought. I tried, but couldn't shake the idea of us facing it. If this really was Tessek itself spilling out of its own realm, the thought of something dwelt at its heart turned my insides to ice.

"As much as I would love to see that," Link said softly, "it's up to us to face whatever's there."

"And then what?" I cut in.

Link stalled. "I… don't really know…"

I gave a half-smile. "You're making this up as you go along… as usual. Maybe little Midna has an answer though…"

Link turned back to me and rolled his eyes. "Surprise me."

I floated just before him and stared into the blackness ahead. "I've given it some thought," I said, turning to face him. "Magic doesn't just come from thin air. All this around us?" I gestured to the black. "There's so much of it that it must have a potent source of magic. There's no way whatever was in the patch before held enough to cover the realm."

"You're thinking it came from somewhere else?" Link caught.

"Yes. As much as I hate admitting it," my teeth came together and I felt a growl escape me at the thought. "Zant may be right."

Link sighed. "Tessek itself."

"It's the simplest explanation. Realms can be so close together that, at times, they can overlap."

"One realm bleeds into another," Link said, grimacing. I did the same, thinking of the events of months ago.

"Bad example," I muttered, cursing myself for bringing it up. "It takes serious magic to weaken the boundaries between realms, though. The Mirror's basically that; a potent source of magic capable of safely punching through the barrier between dimensions."

"With the amount of magic that went flying during the Interloper's banishment," Link suggested, "easily possible that something like that happened."

"Hey, you're not supposed to be that smart," I smiled, giving him a playful punch in the arm.

He adopted his normal determined face, his eyes glimmering. "Something bad that we need to destroy in the centre of all this," he summarised. "Better?" He grinned.

"Much!"

His eyes rolled again.

"What I'm worried about," I continued softly, "is that there isn't just magic behind this. When one world invades another, things stop behaving as they should."

Link gave me an odd look as he thought, but then realised what I meant.

"With the amount of Nothingness in this realm, the entire world should be ripping apart at the seams," I said. "But it's stable. And the only way I can think it's happened is if something is controlling the Nothingness."

Link growled. "Ganondorf…"

"No," I whispered. "Even Ganondorf couldn't keep all this under control. If I'm right, and for once I hope I'm not, there's something even more powerful than him keeping the Nothingness in check."

Link took a sharp breath and bit his lip. "Thanks for the warning," he said meekly.

I placed my hand on his shoulder. "Just letting you know what you're getting into."

He stared past me at the blackness for a moment, before locking eyes with me. Those fearful blue depths suddenly stopped quaking and became steady. He took a deep breath and nodded. Drawing the Master Sword, its chilling ring rippling unencumbered by the black around us, Link admired the strongly-glowing blade and took a step towards the centre. "This is it," he whispered as he paused. I came to his side and he continued, his steps becoming determined strides as we headed into the heart of the darkness.

(~^~)

I knew Midna wasn't trying to scare me, but magic was never my strong suit. Heck, I'd only recently discovered powers I wasn't supposed to have. But now, to find that we could be facing an enemy stronger than the King of Evil…?

It sent a chill down my spine greater than anything I'd ever felt. Fighting him had been tough; it had been the extent of my abilities, taking everything I had, to face him. As we walked, I couldn't help thinking whether we were out of our depth here; even facing this together, what were we, in all honesty? A pair of late-teenagers. Though it was fitting that Midna and I were about the same age, it didn't change the fact that we were still young and putting ourselves in situations people much older than us would never even consider. Whilst most of me agreed that my true purpose was to face enemies like this, and I had the Goddesses on my side, a tiny part had to question if I truly could cope. I didn't want to rush into this, but at the same time, I couldn't sit around and wait. Two realms hung in the balance. Two entire worlds, spread across my shoulders, and now Midna bore some of it.

She was handling this very well. Her realm had been consumed by darkness, she'd faced _him_ alone and survived, travelled in time and now we faced whatever ruled the Nothingness. I hoped and prayed it was nothing, that it was just a sort of crack between worlds that the darkness was bleeding through, and that the united magic could overcome it. But I knew better than that. Midna's reasoning seemed sound, I thought unhappily. This much power had to have something in control.

*

I don't know how long we walked for, but we encountered nothing on our trek for some time. After a while however, something caught my eye.

Something caught the edge of the sword's light. Something living.

I stopped and turned to look at the place I'd seen it, my eyes darting around, searching for any sign of an enemy.

Another shape moved over to my right.

I snapped around and faced it, but it was gone.

I felt Midna's hand on my shoulder. "What is it?" I whispered.

"Link…" she breathed. "We're within the ancient Nothingness. What you're seeing are Twili who were exiled into it forever."

A chill swept through me. The shapes were Twili send into Tessek for their crimes, perhaps centuries ago… "What should I do?" I said, nervousness twitching through me.

"They will have lost their minds years ago," she said sadly. "It's likely they won't even realise we're here."  
"What if they do?" I had to ask.

She sighed. "Probably nothing; most will have long forgotten how to move."

"What about someone with a long memory?" I pressed carefully.

Her eyes scrunched up for a moment. "The worst that could happen is they try and attack you, like animals. But just remember they were the worst criminals possible. They were given life sentences for a reason. If it comes down to it, put them out of their misery."

I shivered at her suggestion. "How can you say that?" It was horrifying she could say such a thing!

"They've become monsters, Link. There's no hope for them. If it comes down to us or them…" She looked away, her voice heavy.

I took a deep breath, still watching around us intently. It just didn't feel right, what she was saying, even though I knew it was. I took a step forward gingerly, still thinking about what Midna had said.

"I know what you're thinking," she whispered to me, her voice still heavy. "It was a cruel way to deal with them, to abandon them in darkness forever. But there's so little I can do; even if we disperse the darkness for good, I can't release them. They committed serious crimes, the sort that would have had them put straight to death by our old laws. My ancestors chose the Nothingness because it seemed more civilised."

There was a moment's silence between us we started moving again. "I think I understand," I finally whispered.

"I'm not trying to defend the decision," she continued carefully. "I just… don't want it to seem like they tried to be cruel."

My stomach knotted at the thought of this punishment being seen as better than death, but Midna had a point; no blood was shed this way, and the criminals would be able to contemplate their actions for the rest of time. Killing them would grant them an instant relief from life, though it handed their fate to the Goddesses. I knew we could not hope to know better than the Goddesses, naturally, however punishments like this would set an example to all who might follow. Should they be punished after death, their fate would be hidden, whereas imprisonment in this Nothingness set an example to all who might follow.

I was nervous now as I stepped slowly forwards. The guilt of having killed so many Twili months ago returned. Midna had done what was necessary, yes, but it was cruel of her not to tell me they had once been people. I sighed at the thought; Zant had nearly destroyed her, though. All she sought was vengeance, no matter what stood in her way. Her drive to get it had been so strong it had overcome everything else.

I could hear it in her voice; she didn't want this to happen. She didn't want more dead Twili as much as I did. But here we were again, the Twili reduced to the state of monsters, and it hurt me. She'd told me these were once people, but I had seen so few actual, pure Twili, that I had to force myself to remember.

Surely she hadn't planned it all along; to make sure I only saw the Twili as monsters and nothing more? The thought stabbed at me; what if she had, making an attempt to ensure that's all I thought of them? It would justify her actions in the Chamber, that much was true; she would be separating the Light Realm from the Realm of Monsters.

"I don't care…"

I realised I'd whispered it instead of simply thinking that sentence when Midna turned to face me. "What?"

"Nothing," I said, still walking and avoiding her gaze.

"Link…" she said softly. "We're past hiding things," she reminded me.

"Midna…" I sighed, but didn't stop. We had to make progress, but I said very softly and honestly to her, "do you see the Twili as monsters?"

(~+~)

Link's question caught me off-guard. I thought he might ask me, but I had no idea as to what I would say, and I floated in silence for several moments.

It was such a loaded question, and I didn't know how to begin. I did, and then I didn't. Those who hated the Light, who committed murder and wrought havoc, who lived only for their own gain… yes, they were monsters in my eyes.

But at the same time, there were Twili who were the exact opposite. There were gifted sorcerers who had pushed the boundaries of magic, writers who spun tales so intense it was art, and as for our rulers…

I sighed. I thought of my father. A parent's love is unconditional and eternal. I felt it even after he was gone, floating over a void within me. He was torn from me, this man who made it his unquestioning duty to raise and protect me. This man who was a headstrong ruler, who treated his subjects like family, and in spite of his devotion to his position, always had time for his daughter right when she needed it most.

His passing shattered me inside, I realised. When those high-and-mighty councillors decided to seek a replacement before honouring him, rage had overtaken me. It burned and hardened me, and made me start thinking that I had once been too forgiving. A boundary had been crossed.

I started to hate.

I had never hated anything before. My father always taught me that it was not my place to judge, to feel so strongly for any one particular thing. I'd never questioned him; until that point, I had no reason to. But then when I lost him and Zant moved in, I went against all my father had taught me. I hated them; I thought them unworthy to hold their positions, and some unworthy to walk the same earth.

I no longer saw them as Twili.

The sound that escaped my lips was barely more than a breath. "Yes."

Link's head snapped around to face me, and I knew what he would say next.

"Why?" I asked for him. I looked away and sighed. "Because I became one."

He stopped, and I could feel his gaze on my back. "No…" he whispered.

"Face it, Link," I replied. "When my father died, I gave up everything I was, even before Zant cursed me. Pretty fitting, too," I added, with a dark glance at this awful body I was condemned to. "All it took was one action and I lost who I was. I hated them, I didn't see them as people. And when the invasion began, it was just too accurate. The first the Light saw of us in thousands of years was as savage beasts. All the damage we did, the barbarism still present in our society…" I trailed off, giving a heavy sigh. "I started to think that we deserved our imprisonment, because if we ever mixed, that barbarism would spread, and Shadow would destroy the Light." I glanced at him. "I'm so sorry about what I made you do, kill those Twili. It felt like we were getting at Zant, that by doing so we'd weaken him. But I know now. I got so wrapped up in my own beliefs I couldn't see past the curses he inflicted on them."

I felt Link come to my side, and fully expected to hear him agree, and yet the touch of his hand to my shoulder felt more comforting than normal. "Please Midna," he whispered. "Look at me."

I slowly brought my eyes to his. They glimmered softly.

"You're blaming yourself for things that were out of your control. When I told you how strong you were, I meant it. It's what you do; you find a solution and you go for it. And you succeed. Under any normal circumstances, yes, what you felt and did was wrong… but you succeeded. You did what was necessary, and nothing more. Monsters cave into primitive desires. They destroy without discriminating. And what's more, they don't care that what they did was wrong." Link gave a tiny smile that somehow sent warmth straight into me. "You know what you did was wrong. You feel remorse and guilt. And that proves without a doubt that you aren't like them."

I tried to speak but I suddenly felt words slip away. Link continued.

"Midna… corruption and backstabbing isn't unique to the Twilight. Hyrule has faced the same, if not worse. Everyone has desires. And whether you are a good or bad person depends on which desires you choose to fulfil. The world needs that balance, bad to give the good some meaning. It's the way it will always be. You know your own desires. Let them tell you what kind of person you are."

He sighed. "Some people are monsters, yes. Some have given into dark desires so much they can't be saved. But you can't let the minority mark the majority. Just because a few have shown their true natures, don't punish the many."

"You worked it out, didn't you?" I asked. "The other reason I broke the Mirror…"

He gave an understanding nod.

I sighed. "It's all the Light world saw us as. I figured it would be best for all if they never had to see us again. First impressions leave the deepest marks."

He rubbed my shoulder gently. "Even the deepest wounds can heal in time, Midna. Just give them a chance…" His voice trailed off to a whisper.

Suddenly, his ears perked up and he was alert. His head snapped around and his arm pulled me around behind him, his body a shield between me and whatever he'd heard.

Link circled slowly, his gaze fixed. Then suddenly, the sword's light played over a shape. It was squat, a figure sitting on the ground, facing away from us.

It was barely moving.

Link approached it cautiously, a half-step at a time, the sword more than ready to strike.

_This feels familiar,_ I thought with a pang of worry for Turos.

The black-skinned form, sparsely covered by ripped, filthy robes, sat immobile on the ground. I could hear very quiet breathing, so I knew it had to be alive. Link circled around it to see its front; I followed just behind him.

It was a male, sitting in a rigid, uncomfortable position. His gaze was vacant and distant, staring straight ahead. His eyes didn't blink, and his hands were motionless.

He had succumbed. He was lost.

We stared at the figure for a few moments before Link shook his head sadly. He motioned for us to go. We circled back around and Link whispered to me, "That was true barbarism, whoever first decided to use this place to contain criminals."

"You're right," I sighed. "I just-"

It happened in less than a second.

Link whirled around, and as I followed him I saw a black blur rush him. Link's hand flew out and knocked me back, his other hand bringing up his sword at the same time. The black shape had to be the same Twili we'd just seen, and it let out a feral cry as it lunged towards Link.

Link raised the sword, and he displayed the most elegant motions I'd ever seen. The sword slid smoothly into the corrupted creature's chest as Link leant to the side, bending such that the creature flew over him. He then used the grip of the blade in the creature's chest to haul himself back to his feet, the sword then sliding straight out of it.

The Twili was dead before it hit the ground with a sickening thud.

I couldn't move. My entire body had frozen in fright and disgust.

_This place turned them into total animals! Primitive beasts!_

I swore at that moment that this punishment would never be used again.

Link stared down at the fallen Twili, sighing heavily.

I came to his side and put my hand on his shoulder.

(~^~)

"it was for the best," Midna said quietly.

"Yes... It was..." I said sadly. It nagged at me; at one point, the dead body had been a person, before exposure to this evil place had turned it to nothing short of a beast.

I pushed the thoughts aside. It was necessary. There were things at stake beyond us now. We had to do what we had to do. Nothing could stand in our way if two worlds were to come out of this whole. Besides, this fallen creature had lived its life, made its choices...

The crimes it had committed must have been extreme, and it had served its term of punishment. Now its fate was left to the Goddesses.

I stared at the corpse for a moment, before gathering myself. "Which way?" I asked.

Midna closed her eyes and focused, spinning slowly about the spot. "I think…" she began.

And in an instant, the Shadows had snapped out around her, and she had shot backwards out of the sword's light as if dragged at incredible speed.

(~+~)

I felt blackness take hold of me and rush past me at an astonishing pace. Something was pulling me, away from Link!

I couldn't see at all, and when I tried to push away what held me, I couldn't.

There was nothing there!

I screamed out but my voice hitched in my throat. I felt for the Shadow helmet to try and see but it would not yield to me. I was blind and deaf, enveloped in the Nothingness.

Soon, I could feel nothing.

I told my body to move and couldn't tell if it obeyed.

I spoke words that were lost.

I saw and felt nothing.

Did I still exist?

Finally, I saw something in the blackness before me.

Daggers of ice slashed at my insides as my entire being froze in fear.

Two small circles glowed before me. Right before my face. They were crimson in colour.

Like blood red eyes.

"I believe..." drawled a voice that scared me even more. "You have something of mine..."

* * *

Sorry about the cliffhanger again but the next chapter needs it to cut off here!  
I tried for a lot of character development this chapter; the opening scene is a sort of tying of a loose end that occurred to me when I proof-read 'The Chessboard' again. As for the midsection, well that kinda wrote itself, so I hope it makes sense. Some points of it are nagging at me, but I can't see any ways of writing it differently; well, yet, that is.  
Big battle coming next chapter; I'll leave you to guess against who! Might take me a while to write it, though - it's got to be good!  
So, stay tuned; updates on my progress and anything I think people should know will be posted on my Twitter.  
Update: Gah, made quite a few typos! If I've missed any more, please point them out! Also, added the last line as it better sets up the next chapter! More spelling corrections made in second update, and corrected a minor contradiction about Midna's father.  
Update again: Varanus' review was like a kick in the head - I'm an idiot! Rewrote the part where Link faces the Twili; goes a little OOC with his reaction. This story's probably had enough breakdowns, too...  
Peace out,  
Gargravarr


	35. Chapter 30: Out of the Dark

Ha-hey, I managed it! An update! And it's proper length, too!  
Man, the latest reviews have weighed heavily on me. Sorry for the cliffhanger last chapter; I really don't want to like using them, but they're just so hard to resist! *Hides from inevitable angry mob* Many thanks to StoryLover, MM, Rebel, awsmninja, Anonymoose (fancy registering so I can give you personal replies to your reviews? :), Zel and especially Varanus - that review was a kick in the head! Last chapter got slightly rewritten as a result. Sorry all!  
Anyways, I have some work to do this week, so I might have to say, give me another week until I find enough time to update again. Term break's coming up, fortunately, however that means all the work starts being pulled in!  
Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 30  
Out of the Dark…

(~^~)

Running.

I was running.

And I couldn't remember even hitting my stride. One instant Midna had been there, the next she wasn't and I was thundering after her. I was running so fast and so hard that the protests of my body were dulled. Nothing else mattered.

She was in trouble.

I had seen so little; she had been sucked into the eternal black behind her, and it was only my sharp eyes that had picked out even a trace of a direction to the motion. If I'd paid the slightest fragment less attention, I would have missed it. But with it fixed in my mind, a fiery mark before my eyes, I sprinted in its wake.

My body began to yell and scream for me to slow, to ease up, but I ignored it. I could cope. I would recover. I didn't matter.

She did.

And for her I pushed my own limits. Something sinister was at play here. Seconds could be vital. And I would waste none of them.

The white light of the Master Sword flowed around me like water, covering every surface, only to run from it just as quickly. I realised distantly that the Sword rested in its scabbard. Somehow, I had thrown it onto my back without even thinking. Instinct alone told me this would be faster.

Finally the light crossed over something, and my body won out, forcing me to slow.

Before me was a stone structure.

It was ancient, but understated; it was much smaller than anything I had expected, barely big enough to house one room. Its carved stone walls bore windows and as I neared, I saw a figured entranceway sheltered with a stone slab. The entranceway by itself wasn't much to behold, a passage into the black beyond, but what adorned it sent chills down my spine.

Runes covered the frame of the entranceway.

They weren't like any Twili runes I had seen before; they were rougher, perhaps… older…

And the chill I felt came from the crimson glow radiating from each one. A light so dull and unnatural, I felt as if it were moving.

Watching me.

As if in response, the Triforce lit up. Golden warmth burned on my hand, and I could feel more.

There was magic within this place. Powerful magic.

It could only be the Shadows.

Midna!

Without stopping, I forced myself to race up to the entranceway, slowing only to check I was not stepping into a trap.

The darkness within the passage parted as easily as all the rest, but beyond it stayed dark. My gaze flitted between the floor and the wall of black ahead. Once I had assessed there were no traps, I watched for any signs that the Nothingness was receding.

It did, but marginally. It was as if the Master Sword's light was dulled here.

My skin tingled unpleasantly.

_The heart of the Nothingness._

I ignored the thought. Whatever dwelt here had taken Midna. If she had been harmed in any way…

Fire burned through my veins. My jaw clenched in determination. I drew the Master Sword as swiftly as I could, its call to war rippling outwards through the veils of black.

As I stepped closer to the thick darkness, only two words played in my mind, over and over.

_Show yourself!_

(~*~)

No.

Please, no.

And then I was flying through the air. My back skidded along the sandy ground, and I felt my suit tear a few times. But I was on my feet in an instant, facing whatever it was that attacked me.

A thin, gaunt figure stood before me. Its red robe was dull, ripped and torn in many places as if it had been attacked by a pack of dogs. Its arm was outstretched, fingers spread towards me, and on the back of its hand, I saw the mark.

The three triangles.

Then suddenly, it gave a grunt, and the arm fell.

The figure caught itself and quickly recovered. Its hollow, corpse-like eyes rose to meet mine, and ice fell down my spine.

I'd met that gaze once before, when I had met eyes with the swirling cloud of energy that would go on to desecrate my throne room and kill one of my closest friends. The rush of fear was unmistakable.

"Ganondorf…" I breathed.

(~+~)

The darkness was all around me. No, wait, it was more than that. It seemed like it had seeped _into_ me, that it had torn into my being and made me one with the endless black. And the only thing that told me I wasn't yet dead were these two eyes.

They were hypnotising. I couldn't look away.

If my body even existed, it was paralysed by fear.

"_So long…" _the voice hissed, a tone of lusting. _"So long have I waited for this reunion…"_

I yelled words I could not hear. Had I even spoken? If so, what had I said? I didn't know!

Then I felt the rush of magic. Far from being a comfort to feel _anything_, it added to my fear.

The Shadows.

And I wasn't controlling them.

As I feared their destructive ability being unleashed, I suddenly felt less again, like I was falling from consciousness. The one grip I had on the world, the feel of the magic, was fading.

"_Come to me…" _the voice hissed.

If they existed, my eyes would be wide.

It had taken the Shadows from me!

"_Yesssss…"_ The word was almost serpentine, sinisterly slow and quiet.

My sight was falling away; the red circles grew dimmer… smaller…

Would this be the end? Was I giving in?

No! I was stronger! I would fight!

But how could I fight what I did not even see?

That question was soon answered for me.

Light flooded over me and I was quickly blinded by white.

LINK!

The pure light of the sword burned my eyes and forced back the darkness.

A sound caught my ears. A sigh. A relieved sigh.

My own.

I blinked, trying to balance out the purity and the infinity. I was alive; I still existed!

And Link was walking straight into the clutches of whatever caught me!

I whipped my head around to find him, yelling as loud as I could, "LIIINK! WATCH OUT!!!"

I saw him!

He strode towards me, defiance of evil in his stride, his eyes burning with cold flames. His sword was held perfectly, ready to counter any attack.

Which it swiftly did.

A burst of darkness erupted from before him, parting from the darkness all around us to head straight for him.

Without an instant's hesitation, Link raised the sword. Had it been solid, the burst would have been parried, but with fear I realised it was magic. What in Tessek would happen next??

The shapeless black collided with Link's outstretched sword and severed cleanly in half, one half veering off to rush harmlessly into the void all around us. But as I watched in horror, helpless to act, the second half was redirected.

Straight into Link's chest!

Time slowed down.

The impact caused Link's head to snap up; his eyes flew open wide.

He stumbled, his back arching and he overbalanced, falling backwards.

His mouth opened and a feral roar of pain erupted from deep within him.

"LIIIIINK!!!!" I screamed as I dashed for him. I had been on the ground, the floor of whatever this place was. My helmet was gone, along with the other three Shadow pieces. My natural magic was dulled, but I could still move with it. And I threw it all into rushing over to him.

He and I moved as if through water. He fell slowly backwards, getting closer and closer to the ground, whilst I covered the distance between us at an equally painful rate.

The cry of agony ripped through the air, and as I finally got within six feet of him, his mouth exploded into black, rippling fur. The Master Sword fell from his grip, clattering to the ground as its wielder was forced to become something… else…

The body that hit the floor was not accompanied by a crash of a metal shield against stone, but by a thump of ruffling fur and moving flesh.

_He was a wolf!_

But did he survive??

Tears were already falling from my eyes as I reached his head. Both his wild, feral eyes were closed.

"Link!" I cried, throwing my hands around his head. "Link, please be alive! You've got to be! Come on, please! The Triforce saved you… It always saves you…" I begged. "PLEASE!"

Suddenly, I felt the wolf draw breath!

He let out a pained whimper and cracked open one eye.

HE SURVIVED!

"Oh Link, thank the Goddesses…" I cried.

"_The Goddesses be damned!"_ The words echoed around us, even through the Nothingness. They were tainted with true, inconsolable hatred, and held a chilling, otherworldly ring. _"Their servant and his companion with them!"_ The voice yelled with incredible power.

Suddenly, I felt a dark energy wrap around me, pulling back from Link!

(~^~)

Every nerve in my body was on fire. My _soul_ burned with pain. It went beyond _anything_ I had ever felt before.

Pure blackness flooded my body, stealing my sight from me, ravaging my veins and trying to consume me. But the Golden Power was stronger.

As I fell, the relic had flared, its wonderful energy exploding into my body, crushing the darkness within me, chasing the pain away. And once again, I knew I had been saved from a worse fate by my other form.

I don't know why I suddenly found myself waking up on my back as the Sacred Beast, only to see Midna before me, both of her eyes visible and flowing with tears. But I was glad beyond words to be alive.

My body ached from the impact, but I had survived whatever magic had hit me. I whimpered out to her, _What happened?_

"Oh Link, thank the Goddesses…" She replied.

_What? Can't you hear me?_

_The Shadow…_

_Oh Goddesses, where's the Shadow?!_

And then the voice roared from nowhere. Its power drilled into my ears and I cringed. What was it?! What did it want??

_His companion…_

My eyes widened. Mid-

And then she was thrown back from me!

I was up on all four feet in an instant, ready to lunge for her attacker. The Triforce burned on my paw, chasing the last remnants of darkness from me.

_Hy-_!

"Now that will never do!"

As the words distracted me, I felt a dark energy around my neck bite into something, and then something moved.

A black and orange shape, trailing gold, sailed through the air.

My stomach collapsed into fear.

_THE CRYSTAL!_

In the light of the fallen sword, I saw it fly to the edge of the circle, where light and darkness sat in separate camps. A chill swept through me as a hand appeared into the light to catch the crystal.

It was a human hand, wrapped in a glove.

A glove of such a dark fabric I couldn't believe it. It was pure black.

And then I realised the glove was fingerless.

Those digits were equally black.

My eyes travelled up the wrist to the arm, with skin as black as coal.

My skin moved unpleasantly. What kind of creature was this?!

Then I felt the stare.

Hot pinpoints pressed into my body, and I turned my head to meet their source.

My skin tried to leap off me.

My eyes met with shining crimson, as deep red as the blood in my veins. From the darkness surrounding them, the two circles glowed.

They flickered with malevolence.

The hand caught the crystal and the circles twisted as eyes would. A chuckle filled the air. "You depend so much upon this one crystal, and yet you allow it to fall from you so easily!"

The voice laughed darkly. My teeth clenched as I realised it was right. Without the crystal, I was trapped in this form! Over and over I thought, _'Hylian!'_ to no avail.

The hand held the crystal directly, without protecting itself, yet it seemed to be immune to its effects. It moved to hold the crystal by one of its pointed ends, holding it up vertically. It raised its arm to the eyes and seemed to admire it. "A precious gift indeed," it mumbled. "So much energy locked away, so much confused power…"

I growled at our adversary and drew myself into a crouch, ready to lunge.

"Tsk tsk, be a good boy now or we'll have to chain you up!" The voice mocked. The hand flicked its free fingers.

A thick black line appeared on the ground around me and I felt an invisible blanket fall over my back. It wrapped around me and pressed into me, forcing me to the ground. I let out a quiet whine; my limbs were all stuck fast. All I could move was my head.

"Such a docile creature…" The voice muttered, almost to itself.

Rage flashed through me. I would not be caged! I would fight with honour! My teeth clenched together so hard my jaw hurt.

_FACE ME!! _I roared at it, my lupine voice thundering through our oasis of light.

The voice gave a quiet chuckle. "Such energy, but perhaps I owe you that much…" It said darkly.

The hand lowered, taking my crystal into the pitch. A moment later, a foot fell out of the black into the light.

The foot was held in a boot of such a dark grey the lines were almost invisible. The toes were capped in dull steel. The leg that rose out of it was wrapped in dark grey fabric, and as my gaze rose, more of the creature entered the sword's light.

The hem of a grey tunic flowed up, presenting a human form complete with two arms, the skin of each exposed between bucklers on the forearms, but as dark as coal because I couldn't make out the outline against the Nothingness. Finally, I gulped and looked to its head.

The eyes burned a bright red and took on an ominous sparkle of pleasure as I decoded the details of the creature's head. A shock of grey-white hair framed it, the skin so black that I could barely tell the head was there, just like the arms. But against the hair, I could tell it had pointed ears, and an all-too-familiar hat adorned its head.

I heard Midna take a rattling gasp of shock. "L-L-Link?!" She whimpered.

The eyes sparkled with menace. "Just a part of," it chuckled.

(~*~)

"Princess," the creature's voice sneered. It mocked a bow to me. "What an expected pleasure. How fitting of you to place yourself in harm's way and face me yourself! Now I will not have to tear apart your kingdom to find you!"

My hands were clenched, my knuckles white in fear. "What are you?" I whispered.

The creature gave a dark chuckle. "What I always will be. Unstoppable." It waved its hand, and I felt magic rush around us. I knew what would come next, and though fear wished to take me over and rule me I did not allow it. I reacted as I had been taught. It did not matter to me that he was more powerful, that whatever he was about to do might kill me. He would surely do so if I did not try.

I threw my arm up before me and breathed, _"Proto!"_

A concentrated shield of Nayru's Love blossomed from my arm. Whatever Ganondorf had cast at me hit the shield such that I could feel it, but just as quickly it bounced harmlessly aside. He had more power than that, surely…

The creature's arm fell and it grunted. I now realised what it was – it was a Twili male, possessed by Ganondorf's spirit. Perhaps that was why it had attacked me so weakly; the possession was draining him…

The Twili's jaw quivered and its arm gestured strangely. "Where is my power…" it muttered.

My eyes widened as my mind raced. _His power was weak! Now was my chance!_

I dived for the bag, cartwheeling on one hand as I reached in with the other to grab the Bow. As I recovered my feet, I had already drawn back the bowstring and aimed; the golden arrow burst into existence, aligned for the creature's heart and I didn't hesitate.

I loosed the arrow.

(~^~)

My mind was flipping over as I struggled to understand the sight before me.

Our adversary wasn't just a living creature.

It wasn't just a Hylian.

It was almost… me!

It was the same height, had the same build and, from what little I could see, the same features I had. Its clothes and mine were separated only by colour. And on its back, I saw the edge of a shield and the hilt of an elegant sword.

"What are you?!" Midna asked, her voice quivering in fear. She was being held in the air, her arms wide. Without the Shadow, she was almost defenceless.

The dark me chuckled, and even though I could barely see its face, I could feel it smirking.

"The world must be in balance. You know this, don't you, **Hero**?" It spat the last word with venom. I growled in response. "Did you honestly believe something so pure, so… good… could exist without an opposite?" It snorted. "Meet your true darkness, Link. I am everything you lack."

Even if the pressing blanket of magic holding me were gone, I would still have been unable to move. I was terrified of the sight before me. Could its words be true?!

"You and I are two halves of the same whole, Link," it continued. "Spun from the same cloth; one blessed with the Light, the chance at life, the other cursed with Darkness, condemned to Nothingness so that the first may exist!" Its voice had turned to an incensed growl. "So long as one lives in light, the other must exist in darkness. For nearly twenty years, I have lived in emptiness. From the moment you came to be, black has been my blanket, my companion… my jailer! No more!"

It waved its hand; Midna squirmed in discomfort.

_What are you doing?!_ I roared at it.

Its eye clenched in threat. "My life has been one of absolute suffering because of you! Before I take back the life I should have had, I will make you feel some of that pain!" It snarled.

I knew immediately what it meant, and my blood ran cold.

_NO!_

With a wave of its hand, darkness swept over Midna; in an instant, she was gone, enveloped in Nothingness!

I struggled against the magic binding me to the ground. I had to help her! I couldn't let this happen!

The dark me looked from the patch of darkness holding Midna to me. I felt it grin with absolute malice. "So easy to hurt someone without even touching them…" It noted. Its words made me struggle harder.

The magic held me firmly; there were no gaps in it that I could claw my way out of. I was trapped and Midna was in trouble. _No, this could not be happening! No, please, Goddesses, help us!_

And then the panic died away.

Something soothing filled my veins; golden energy.

_The Triforce_.

It burned stronger than ever on my paw. Its energy flooded me, filling me with power. And I knew what it wanted me to do.

I focused on my enemy. The burning grew to such a height that my paw should have been on fire. The magic within me also built; it swirled around me, filling every vein in my body. My lupine face set in rage, my eyes wide and my teeth bared.

The dark me gave a concerned look for a moment, before its eyes smiled for it. It slowly reached over its shoulder and its left hand gripped the hilt of its sword.

That did it.

The spark of rage that ran through my head ignited the energy within me, and I felt gold erupt from my skin. A blinding wall of divine magic burst out from my body in every direction. It shattered the dark cage around me, threw my enemy onto its back and finally reached Midna. Like water, it washed the darkness from her.

She was whole and alive!

Finally, as the magic left the oasis, I felt an aftershock ripple out from the relic. My insides moved unpleasantly, but I knew the sensation. I threw myself up from the ground as my body began to change form.

As my Hylian form returned and I rose to my fullest height, Midna's eyes turned to fix on me. I could feel them, and hear her gasp in relief. She raced to my side, evidently free of whatever magic our enemy had used on her. My eyes never left it, even as I felt her hands grab my shoulder, even as I stooped to retrieve the Master Sword. My other arm came around her and held her tight as she shuddered, trembling in fear.

Whatever this coal-black creature was, it picked itself up from the ground. It stood at its fullest height, the same as me, and fixed eyes with me, the crimson circles glowing with anger. "So you know a few parlour tricks, Hero. They may have helped you this time, but the Darkness is mine! So long as you exist here, we play by my rules!" It slid its sword from its back, a dull steel blade just like the rest of the metal it wore. Its shield, too, came onto its right arm, a darkened version of mine bearing the same marks. "Fight me," it snarled.

I gently pushed Midna away from me, my hand motioning her to retreat to safety. As I did, I slid my own shield onto my arm, raising my sword in readiness. Through gritted teeth, I said slowly, "I wouldn't have it any. Other. Way."

(~*~)

I let out a frustrated breath.

The arrow was met with a cloud of black smoke from the Twili's hand. The instant it touched, the arrow vanished, but the smoke dissipated just as quickly and the Twili's arm fell. Ganondorf let out a snarl.

_He was frustrated… he truly had little power._

How could that be possible? He bore the Triforce of Power and ruled a dimension filled with dark magic. There was no way his possession could drain this much power from him!

His eyes rose to meet mine and I felt the heat of his stare. Pure anger burned in his gaze. "Don't think this is it, Princess," he sneered. "This is but the beginning!"

He raised his hand and the black smoke appeared again. But instead of casting it towards me, he turned to face the Mirror.

I took my chance.

In the space of a second I had nocked and loosed another golden arrow. And I watched in triumph as it honed true to its target.

The arrow smashed through Ganondorf's shoulder. His upper body shook and he grunted in pain, the golden arrow protruding from him. He turned to face me, his face glowering with rage. "A lucky shot," he spat. He grabbed the arrow and wrenched it from his flesh without even wincing. "You won't get that chance again," he snarled. At once, he raised his hand, and blew into the smoke. I was already nocking another arrow, but when I loosed it, his other hand cast blackness that consumed the gold. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught the smoke drifting over towards the Void Stone, where it hovered almost casually.

And then, ever so slowly, it began to grow…

(~^~)

The ring of steel on steel was deafening as our swords met. The dark creature's red eyes contorted in effort, and in the close light from the sword, I saw his features clearly. It was as if I had landed in coal dust and looked in a mirror.

_He looked exactly like me!_

I spun out of the sword-lock and swiped at his arm; almost by itself, his shield arm moved to block the blade, my sword skating across the armour plate, and using the same momentum he brought his own sword up to slash at me.

I moved quickly and parried his swipe. I lunged for the ground, rolling to his side before launching myself at him. He backflipped and landed elegantly, his sword and shield perfectly placed to block my strike. I saw it and brought my foot up to land on the shield, using it to kick back away from him. As I flew backwards to land gracefully, the impact shook him, but he recovered and lunged.

His strike was over-arm, so I ducked into an underarm swing, but he spun his wrist so quickly he was able to block the strike. At the same time, his shield came hurtling towards my head. I let myself fall to the ground and rolled away from him. He couldn't stop his swing; the shield clanged against the ground. He kicked against his bent leg and recovered, showing no signs of effort or pain.

We locked gazes and circled each other, mentally daring the other to make the first move. I twitched in one direction, feigning a strike to bring his guard across before lunging in the other, yet my sword glanced off his shield.

He'd been ready for it.

I grunted and pushed back, bringing enough distance between us. The dark me smirked.

He leapt at me, his sword poised for an overhead slice. I threw myself down into a roll, bringing my sword up while avoiding my shield this time, aiming to bring the blade into his knees. Just as the blade was at the right height, he jumped over it, the steel caps of his boots grazing the edge.

As he landed he crouched into a forward roll and kicked out of it, spinning into a crouch facing me. He face bore a satisfied grin. "You have fought monsters, animals and sorcerers, Hero. But have you ever fought yourself?" He mocked. "I know every move you can make."

I kicked up off the ground into a ready stance. He rose smoothly, his sword and shield prepared. He spun his sword around his hand, as though calling for me to strike. I would not rise to the bait.

As we circled each other, both spinning our swords in menacing gestures, I raced through his words. If he truly was a dark side of me, knowing what he did, he would know every attack, every feint, every twitch…

In short, we could perfectly counter each other's attacks until one of us tired. And given the amount of energy I had burnt up freeing Midna and myself, I didn't like my own chances of being the last one standing.

I had to change tactics. I had to fight completely _unlike_ myself.

As I sidestepped a lunge and watched him roll, I quickly thought through how I fought. Always up-front, always with a plan, always looking for a weakness. Always honourable…

He smirked at me and sighed sarcastically. "Well, this is getting us nowhere. Perhaps we should try a different approach."

He held up his hand at Midna and twisted ever so slightly to look at her.

I acted.

I knew what he was planning; hold Midna over me again.

There was no way I'd even let him get that close a second time.

I reached for the Golden Relic and allowed it to burn brightly. Its energy cascaded into the sword and released an incredible flare of white light. Without even watching to see its effects I charged at my black double. My stance and speed leant nothing to defence. If the tactic had failed I was an easy target.

As the pure light washed over him, he faltered, his right arm rushing up by itself to cover his face.

Leaving his side completely exposed.

I lunged with the sword but he twisted as I got close. I couldn't land a fatal strike. My mind grasped for the next best thing and I contorted in mid-air, realigning the sword.

The vicious steel was denied its true purpose, but its perfect edge slashed straight through the dark tunic and bit deep into the black flesh underneath.

My double screamed out in agony; I'd cut a fair way into his body, so much that the wound was probably mortal. His limbs began to lash out as the light finally faded back.

I'd disregarded my own safety in that attack and now I reaped the penalty. I had to land perfectly to come back up again; no mistakes. On my own, I would have had little trouble, but the dark creature's flailing leg crashed into my shoulder as I curled up in readiness to roll. As it connected it sent me sprawling. I landed heavily on my other shoulder and my momentum carried me over. As my body twisted I lost my grip on the Master Sword, and I finally came to halt more than three feet from it.

My double charged towards me and stepped onto the sword as my fingers grabbed its hilt. Pressing down with all his weight, there was no way I could prise it up. He looked down at me and sneered. "How uncharacteristic of you, Link. Risking such easy injury, striking a foe whose back is turned… To no avail of course…"

_Keep talking, Coal-face, just keep talking… _I thought, my hand dipping into my pack as subtly as possible. The dark me wasn't paying much attention; his eyes were locked with mine. I found what I was looking for and used it.

Now for even more risk.

The dark one raised his sword, set for an easy strike on me. "Any last requests?" He mocked.

"Yeah – go to Hell!" I yelled, drawing my hand out of the pack. This had to be absolutely perfect.

It was.

Crackling faintly, almost inaudibly, the fuse disappeared inside the bomb as I dropped it at the dark one's feet, raising my shield between us and curling up as far as possible behind the metal. He had no time to react before I felt the explosion slam into the shield.

I was hurled away, my back grating against the stone, shredding my tunic and ripping my back open. I couldn't hear a thing save for a continuous high-pitched whistle. When my battered body finally came to rest, I tried to raise my sword arm.

It felt like it was broken, but when I checked, I could move it. My shield arm was another matter. Any attempt to move it was met with fiery pain. It was almost certainly broken, close to my elbow. At once, the Triforce flared into life, its energy concentrating on that spot as I felt over the rest of my body.

My legs ached but neither had broken, and my abdomen was bruised, but otherwise whole. As my arm came back together I felt heat radiating from the shield; the force of the explosion had also singed some of my hair and my hat, I realised when I put my hand on top of my head. I grimaced; _that_ would take some explaining.

With a stab of pain, I felt my arm bones reattach; gold swam around the joint, soothing the pain and making sure I would eventually be able to use it. I reached back into the pack and pulled out some red Chu jelly. It tasted even worse than the potion, but it worked just as well. I grimaced, popped the cork and threw it down my throat, suppressing a gag as I felt the substance take hold. The aches and pains all across my body slowly dulled, and with my arm in one piece, I pushed myself off the ground to survey the damage.

The first thing I saw was the crater. Stone had been blasted from a ditch a foot deep. Fragments littered the area.

And then I saw blood.

Spatters of crimson adorned the ground in random, almost artistic patterns. I followed them until I caught sight of an awful mess.

The double's body lay on his back on the ground. His feet were both gone, bloody stumps left in their place, the remnants of his high boots still bound to his legs. His clothes were ruined, torn to shreds by the blast, and the flesh beneath was not simply cut, but burned and cauterised; the searing heat had sealed the wounds shut. Smaller cuts bled openly from his torso and legs, fragments of stone embedded deep in the skin. On his right side, I saw the cut I had inflicted, a deep gash several inches into his flesh, leaking blood onto the ground

And then I heard a sound.

A wheezing, rattling noise.

Breathing.

_He was still alive._

I stooped and picked up the Master Sword. Somehow, it had remained rooted to the spot, its steel completely undamaged. I swept the sword's light over his face. His eyes had darkened, no longer a sinister glow, but more of a soft flicker. He was probably dying, slowly, but that didn't stop him trying to speak. He drew as deep a breath as he could and whispered, "You do… nothing… but cause pain… and suffering… All you… have ever done to… me… I… I curse you to… the depths of Tessek!" He spat.

"I exist because of Ganondorf," I replied. "If you think I wanted this life, you don't know me at all," I added darkly.

The pitiful creature whimpered in pain. "But… you live… and so long as… I draw breath… I will seek… my vengeance…" He spat defiantly.

I looked back at the double, his eyes pulsing. As I watched, one or two of his smaller wounds began to knit themselves closed. He was healing himself, very slowly, but nonetheless I had no desire to fight him again. I spun the sword and held it over him. His eyes locked with mine.

"You… follow honour… to the letter! You wouldn't do… you **won't** do that, _Hero,_" he snarled.

"Let me tell you something about honour," I growled. "To be honourable when your opponent is not is pointless. Sometimes, when lives are at stake, those who can act must do all that is necessary. If you won't see that I wasn't the cause of your suffering, then I must do whatever I can to ensure I never face you again."

The creature panted in pain, lost for words.

"I'll give you one chance. Join us against him. Take out your revenge on the true reason for your existence."

His jaw quivered, but his eyes had already answered. "N-never…" he whispered, defiantly.

"So be it…" I shot. I raised the sword over his chest, aiming perfectly. I looked away.

"Face your victim, murderer!" He cried.

I didn't turn. "No, I won't."

"Why?" He gasped.

"Because I am no murderer, and I have no pity for you."

With that, I let the sword fall.

A clean snick sounded as the blade pierced his chest, plunging deep into it. A sickening gurgle escaped the body before it fell silent a moment later.

"Link…" came a quiet whisper. I turned slowly to see Midna, her eyes wide in fear, floating slowly over to me. I looked away from her, my head falling.

_What did she think of me?_

"I'm sorry you saw that…" I whispered, expecting her to keep her distance. I wasn't expecting to feel her place both hands on my temples and force my head up. Our eyes met, hers serious and determined.

"Link… you saved my life and killed a powerful enemy. I'm the one who should be sorry. I didn't help you at all against him."

I sighed. "All I care about is that you're safe. What happened? Where's the Shadow?"

"He must have taken it," she gestured to our fallen adversary.

I nodded to her and we stepped, grimacing, over to the broken body. Its eyes were still open, but were now bottomless black abysses. I crouched by its head and drew my hand across its face, muttering a prayer to the Goddesses to judge him as I closed the body's empty eyes.

"Scary," Midna muttered, regarding the body. "So much darkness, it created a whole separate being."

"I don't like the thought either," I replied. It was a chilling thought, that I had just destroyed a part of me. It was a dark side, but a part of me nonetheless. "What about the Shadow?"

Midna swept her hand across his body, her face growing slowly more alarmed. "It's nowhere on him, not even in magical storage!"

"But then, where-" I began.

"_In a game of chess, the pawn is always moved first,"_ drawled the ghostly voice again. We both froze, fear sweeping up and down my spine. I felt my eyes widen as my head came up to meet Midna's gaze. Her eyes were more yellow than I had ever seen.

"But he's-" Midna stuttered, her hand frantically gesturing at the body before us.

"So then who-" I tried.

"_The Nothingness is mine, Hero. Your dark part made quite a useful pet, but if you seek its true ruler, then the King makes his move."_

We both turned in horror to face the source of the voice.

Another being strode confidently out of the Nothingness into the sword's light. He wore elegant, flowing robes of dark grey. He was a Hylian, but unlike any Hylian I had ever seen; his skin wasn't black like my double, but dark grey, like ash. It looked like his entire body had been burned, save the few remaining threads of his white hair and thin white beard.

He chuckled at us and mocked a bow. _"Welcome to my Darkness. It is such a rarity that I have visitors, especially those who do not intend to stay," _he said menacingly. _"Well, I cannot let you leave, there is so much to show you. Well, so much __**nothing**__ to show you!"_ He cackled quietly.

"You're Azréalus!" I said, the thought having just snapped into my mind.

He gave a dark smile, displaying dull white teeth. _"Smart child."_ His gaze went to Midna. _"Well, you are more useful than your predecessor, Hero's Companion,"_ he smirked. _"You returned my armour to me!"_

My eyes nearly popped out of my head.

The Hylian drew his arms out, and all four pieces of the Fused Shadow appeared around him.

"_With it to protect me from the harsh light, who knows what greatness I could bring to the world of Light?" _He smiled sardonically.

I was on my feet, not remembering rising. "You'll never find out," I retorted.

"_And why is that?" _He mocked.

Midna snapped to my side. Her face was set. "Light and Shadow are here to stop you!"

* * *

Yup, me and dodgy end scenes! Sorry all, I can't help it!  
Hopefully this reads better than my last few chapters; Heroes ended up in a rut because I had so many ideas I wanted to add, but I shot myself in the foot when I brought in the King of evil so quickly. Trying to shoe-horn in the ideas probably wasn't the best option, so let's get going with some proper, undiluted action!  
Until next time,  
Gargravarr


	36. Chapter 31: Into the Light Part 1

Sorry for the shorter chapter all, but things have been pretty bad recently. A family disaster occurred that knocked the hell out of all of us and has probably affected my writing abilities. Writing is my escapism, but it might take me a while to get back into my style. That'll probably come from writing the action scene, which I've already started, so see if this is any good.  
This is one of those make-or-break chapters to Heroes, so it's probably not the time for my style to go downhill. I hope it hasn't happened, but if it has, feel free to punch me in the back of the head. I've tried to keep my momentum going by starting another fic (those who have me on Author Alerts have probably been wondering why the heck they keep seeing updates to my SSB fic 'Fly Away Home' instead of Heroes; all I can say is I'm sorry, but I somehow got some really good ideas for it while Heroes stalled out for a while). Fly Away Home is a hurt/comfort/friendship/eventual romance fic that probably won't interest many of you, but hopefully you'll start seeing Heroes updates arriving at the same rate as FAH!  
Many thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter and I loved the response to the April Fool's! :) I had to; I couldn't resist! If anyone wants a PDF of the chapter, it'll be on my homepage when I finally get my server running (damned Linux...). I've tried to respond personally to every review, but sorry if I missed anyone!  
Anywho, enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 31  
…Into the Light Part 1

*

None of us moved for a painfully long moment. Midna's determination radiated off her and I caught it easily, both of us standing firm and ready to attack. But what I knew of our adversary had my mind racing. This _thing_ had created, or at the very least released, the Nothingness in the first place, and both of us knew its power.

Azréalus must have sensed our hesitation, as he adopted a deep smirk. _"You can't do it, can you? You know you cannot stand against me and live."_ He gave a throaty cackle. _"You are but mere children!"_

Midna hissed at him in rage, her face twitching. "You know we will defeat you. We've overcome everything so far. You're no different."

The smirk deepened further as the Hylian narrowed his eyes at us. _"Then what is stopping you?"_ A chuckle escaped his lips. _"You know that magic is useless against me, as is your sword, Hero. I could strike you down in one motion."_

"Then why don't you?" I spat at him.

"_Because it would be far too fast to enjoy!" _His eyes were so narrow they were practically shut. _"You have done well to reach me, and it would be impolite of me to kill you so quickly. You have earned the right to feel your lives leave you, as slowly as possible…"_

"Why did you do it?" Midna spat. "Why did you turn to the darkness?"

Azréalus looked like he had expected this response, giving another low chuckle. _"Because the power of darkness is always greater than the light. Darkness seeks and consumes light; it always will until the end of time itself, after which there will be nothing __**but**__ darkness! Imagine… the entirety of creation drenched in pure darkness…"_

"Ganondorf said something similar," Midna growled. "And we are definitely going to kill him, so that just put you straight in the list!"

The Hylian laughed again. _"Ah yes, the Gerudo… such impeccable placement and timing!"_

"How does he fit into all this?" I said, still going over tactics in my mind. Could it really be as simple as we thought? What if it didn't work? We needed options…

"_Nothing more than a means to an end, Hero,"_ the Hylian continued. _"He cannot even comprehend the power he has unleashed. Why, I will have to show him first-hand!"_

"You're bringing Tessek itself into this Realm," Midna snarled.

"_And why not? It has become such a companion to me over the centuries, I believe everyone should know its joys as the Goddesses showed me,"_ Azréalus said bitterly. _"Is it so bad? Will not everything go black for all life one day? You know this, don't you Hero? You risk your life so often, knowing that one mistake could take the light form you forever…"_

"I've survived this long, and you should know I fight to win," I shot.

"_But nothing ever can win against the darkness, can it Hero? One day it will claim you and then what? Everything about you ends. You cease to be. Everything that made you who you are, gone. Is it not better to become one with that blackness instead of allowing it to end you?"_

I raised the sword. "I'd choose death over this Nothingness if I had to, but I've already chosen."

"_Yes,"_ he smirked. _"You have chosen that death, and I shall, of course, grant you it." _He flicked his fingers.

If I wasn't holding the sword as high as I had been, I wouldn't have reacted in time. Another burst of blackness was sent hurtling towards me, but the instant I realised what was happening the Triforce warmed by itself. The sword released another burst of light; a concentrated ball shot out of the sword straight into the blast of darkness and exploded with glimmering light, shredding the dark energy in midair.

I realised I was standing with my eyes wide in surprise, breathing a heavy sigh of relief as the black burst vanished. I looked back at our adversary in case he repeated the attack.

I gritted my teeth as I saw Azréalus standing with all four Shadow pieces clamped over his head, just like Midna did, and I felt my stomach collapse in fear.

_No…_

_He couldn't…_

As I drew panicked breaths I saw the cracks in the stone reappear and the Shadows split apart, flying away from the Hylian to float idly around him. He bore a satisfied look. _"Parlour tricks indeed…" _He smirked.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned just enough to see a disoriented Midna hanging from me, her other hand over her eyes. "Damned light…" she muttered. I put my hand over hers to get her attention and, without taking my eyes off Azréalus, whispered to her almost inaudibly, my lips barely moving, "do we need the Shadows?"

In an equally-quiet voice, she replied, "I might have enough magic on my own."

"_So, the time has come then,"_ our enemy gloated, seemingly unaware of what we'd said. _"Say goodbye to the light, Hero!"_

"Now!" I barked, raising the Master Sword. Beside me, I saw a swarm of Twilight particles as the Shadow blade appeared from Midna's pocket.

"Agh!" I grunted as I felt incredible power grab hold of my neck, like an immense, invisible hand. I reached for my neck as I felt myself being thrown sideways, away from Midna! Struggling to breathe, I dropped the Sword as I wrapped both hands around the energy, trying desperately to free myself.

The energy wouldn't budge.

I kept trying, looking back to Midna.

She squirmed in midair too, pulling desperately at something I could not see around her throat.

Choking, I turned to face our adversary, who grinned knowingly. Both his hands were outstretched before him. _"Do not think I am ignorant to your plans! History will not repeat itself! The union of light and shadow may have worked before, but it shall not again!" _He chuckled darkly. _"Now what to do with you both…"_

I couldn't speak; it was enough trying to bring air into my lungs. I felt light-headed as I desperately clawed at my throat. The Triforce warmed, but my thoughts were dull; I couldn't think of a way to fight…

_Hero…_

The voice was there again.

_Zelda…?_ My thoughts were so weak.

_No…_

I felt more darkness within me whenever that voice spoke…

_The Shadow…_

I forced my eyes to see, as much as it drained me of my strength. My grip on the world was fading; the energy around my neck was squeezing the life out of me…

But I pushed through and saw the Shadows circling our opponent, faster than they had been. He was using them…

With most of my remaining strength, I forced the thoughts out of my head, my Triforce burning. _You serve the Twili, not him!!_

It was all I could do now. I just had to pray something would happen as my vision faded again, growing darker…

…_Yes, I do…_

Suddenly the energy around me released and I fell coughing to floor. I heard a small object hit the ground just after me, and I knew it was Midna. I tried to push my body up from the ground, but I had no more strength to give. Please, I have to make sure she's okay! I begged my aching body.

For a moment, I was stuck, coughing and panting for air as if I'd nearly been drowned. Except I wasn't choking on water, it was air itself I was catching on as I tried desperately to bring light back to my eyes. As soon as I could, I felt for the Golden Power, begging it to start burning and give me a shot of strength. After a moment, it yielded, and my sight came rushing back.

I gasped the air back into me and, even before my fuzzy vision had cleared, I was already searching for Midna. Please be okay… please…

My sight finally sharpened and I threw my aching body off the ground over to her. Everything inside me protested, screaming at me to wait, but I ignored it. I'd face the consequences later.

I had to protect her.

I knelt down between her and him, using myself as a shield in case he decided to attack. I hadn't even looked at him. Instead I was focused only on her. Her tiny form convulsed with a cough and she cracked her eyes open. "I'm… fine…" she wheezed. "Kick his ass!"

I grabbed Midna's hand and turned to face him, her use of language telling me to prioritise. But what I saw left me quite confused.

Azréalus was once again wearing the Fused Shadows as one, but he was struggling with them; his hands scrabbled across the stone surface as if he was trying to prise them off…

YES!

My spirits rose when I realised what was happening.

The Shadows had turned on their ancient master! They'd trapped him!

"Midna, now's our chance!" I whispered, struggling to control my voice. I turned back to face her; she was sitting up and still coughing, but our eyes met. Her face set in determination, she nodded. She bared her teeth as I nodded back, and we both lunged for our discarded blades.

The moment my hand came into contact with the hilt of the Master Sword, the Triforce flared again, golden energy searing my veins as I felt my strength come fully back. The blade pulsed with light, as if breathing heavily in anticipation of battle.

I spun around to find Midna retrieving the Twilight Sword, but in her weakened state she didn't seem to be able to levitate. I darted over to her just as I heard a hearty grunt from our opponent. Sliding my shield onto my arm I stood between them, turning to face Azréalus.

The ancient sorcerer had finally wrenched the Shadows off his head and had thrown them before him. All four pieces hung in the air for a moment, before darting straight towards me. They raced past me and I could guess the next event. _Thank you,_ I thought as the helmet shot past me.

I chanced a glance back at Midna to see I had been right. All four pieces circled Midna as she reached out for them. The helmet gently settled onto her head and her eyes went wide as I knew she felt her power return. The remaining three pieces spun around her at speed as she threw herself into the air, sword raised.

"Thanks for these back!" Midna cackled. "I can use them better than you ever could!"

Azréalus looked up to lock eyes with Midna. His face contorted in rage. _"Do not think this means you will win!!" _He bellowed. He began throwing bursts of darkness at us.

I reacted immediately, directing the Master Sword to fire bursts of concentrated light back at him. Beside me, Midna charged up a ball of Shadow magic, and I carefully timed the next burst of light. As she let it loose, so did I, the pair of us casting our magics side by side.

The twin balls of light and shadow energy ran parallel for a moment before attracting each other, becoming a single, beautiful ball of power. Azréalus' eyes went wide as he threw up his arms to defend himself. The magic struck his hands and exploded, casting an incredible blast of light all around us.

I had to shield my eyes and I heard Midna gasp.

After a moment, the white receded, and I let out an astonished gasp when I saw the Nothingness around us had retreated with it. Though Azréalus still stood, dazed, it was in a circle nearly thirty feet in diameter. What surprised me more was the presence of the black squares of Twilight rising from the ground! I hadn't seen them in this time!

"Wow…" Midna breathed, seeing the same as me.

Panting from the effort of casting magic, and with our opponent momentarily stunned, I glanced sideways at Midna. Her teeth were bared, and the sword came to her left hand. Swirling with black Twili magic, her eyes locked with mine and she nodded.

I let the Triforce ignite, sending golden power swimming through the blade. This was it. Face set, I nodded back at her and drew a deep breath. We swung both of our swords together, and with an ear-splitting clang of metal to metal, they met.

* * *

Yup, I've done it again. Fear not, uni term has now finished and I have a month off. I'm already working on the next chapter so you should see it in a few days, max. And heck, how else do I keep people interested but stick in cliffhangers? XD  
See y'all next time, if this chapter hasn't convinced you I've lost the plot!  
Gargravarr


	37. Chapter 32: Into the Light Part 2

Updated 16/04/2010 4:35PM  
All right, now I'm nervous. This chapter is a lot shorter than I wanted, but I can't think of anything I can add. I think I've lost my ability to write long chapters :S  
Many thanks for the last chapter's reviews! Again, I tried to reply to everyone personally (in case people feel that being mentioned here is like naming and shaming XD), but if I missed you, my sincere apologies.  
In other news, my website is finally up and running. I've been working on my server all week and damn, it's been tough - Linux just *doesn't* like me - fact! We've declared an uneasy truce for now, and PDFs of Heroes are gradually being created and uploaded. More background info will appear there eventually. April Fool's chapter is also available there for download! Use the link to my homepage in my profile or go to gargravarr dot boldlygoingnowhere dot org.  
Oh well, enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 32  
…Into the Light Part 2

(~*~)

My body reacted faster than my mind. In an instant, I had drawn the bow and had sunk five arrows into the ground, just as I had been taught. _"The pentagram is the strongest of all shapes,"_ I remembered as I channeled power from the Triforce, drawing out long lines of golden magic. _"Its strength extends beyond this world, and a properly-formed star can defend you from almost anything."_

I threw the strings of gold to the ground where they attached themselves to the arrows. In moments, five glowing lines surrounded me as the darkness crept from the stone.

Ganondorf was breathing heavily, his arm shaking as he focussed on the stone. "Something... else..." He panted as I watched.

Of course...!

His power came from the Nothingness, but what if something else were to draw that same power at the same time? It would weaken them both!

Link and Midna...

A tingle swept up my spine. They were right at the heart of this, I knew it! I had to buy more time!

I raised the bow and drew back another arrow

(~^~)

The strangest sensation flooded up my arm. At once it was alien and familiar. I'd felt it before, but never within me.

United magic.

The power swept into me, seeping into every corner of my body. I had never felt such energy. It radiated off my skin, and I felt my body begin to glow. I looked at Midna and saw the same. She gasped as her imp body began to shine with golden and black energy. Sparks crackled around our swords as flecks of golden energy raced around the Twilight blade, and squares of Shadow magic swam around the Master Sword.

It was happening.

Light and Shadow…

Suddenly my sight exploded into gold. It enveloped me and everything around me. I couldn't see a thing.

I felt even stranger. The power coursing through my body burned as it swirled within me. My eyes were forced closed and I couldn't control my breathing, which came in short, ragged bursts. I felt as though another power had slid over my body, a presence wrapping itself over and through me.

It was a sensation unlike anything I had _ever_ felt before, and I struggled to comprehend just what was going on.

_Link…_

"Midna…" I whispered as I heard her voice… But wait… that wasn't her voice…

_Link, what's happening?! I can't see!_

"I-I don't know…" I breathed.

_Did we do it? Did it work?_

Finally, the golden glow around my eyes dimmed and I was able to open them. I gasped.

Already I could feel I was taller. I looked down to see myself towering over Azréalus, the sorcerer quaking in fear. My hand clenched on my sword and I looked at it.

"WHAT THE?!" I gasped.

The Master Sword was no longer in my hand. In its place was a simple broadsword, nearly a time and a half the length of the Light blade. It was golden and black, and its thick blade seemed to be made of pure energy. Its simple hilt was pure gold.

What got me most was the hand and arm that held it.

It wasn't mine.

The limb holding the sword was the same as the blade, swirling golden energy. I followed it into the rest of me and saw that my entire body was the same – gold and black, and pulsing with energy. I stood eight feet tall easily. On my other arm I saw my Hylian shield, it too tinged with gold, though given my current size it seemed oddly small.

_Let me help…_

Suddenly the shield increased in size, the metal creaking as it expanded. In a moment, it was the perfect size.

What happened? I thought.

_That was me, Link._

I felt my golden skin crawl. _Midna?!_

_It worked, Link! Light and Shadow are united. I'm here with you!_

My eyes widened and I looked around for her.

No sign of the imp.

_Goddesses…_

_Time to do their bidding, don't you think?_

My body tingled with energy as I realised the prophecy had come to pass. I felt a powerful grin grace my features as I turned to our adversary. _"What do you think now?"_ I asked in a voice that mixed both of ours with an otherworldly, haunting overtone. It rang out in all directions, incredibly powerful and rich. Midna's giggle bled into it, her innocent laugh somehow terrifying now. _"Mere children?"_

Azréalus stared at us, mouth agape in disbelief. His mouth quivered as I spun my sword towards him. His once-imposing figure now seemed pathetic. _"I-I-" _He stammered.

"_-want to die?"_ I felt Midna say. _"Why, we'd be happy to oblige!" _The sword slashed through the air and I realised Midna had control of the united body as much as I did.

_Right you are, Link! Tell you what, you stick to your speciality, I'll stick to mine!_ Her mischievous voice sounded in my head. _And yes, I can sense your thoughts. If you try, you can probably sense mine too! Hehe, I guess I do sound a __**little**__ mischievous…_

I smiled and locked eyes with our opponent. He had drawn a deep breath and looked at us with utter venom. _"This ends now!" _He growled, summoning an intense ball of dark energy. As it flew at us, I felt my shield arm shake and a burst of golden-black energy shot from the hand. The two energies collided and annihilated each other in midair.

"_Just so you know, I can do this all day!"_ Midna mocked.

Azréalus seemed to disbelieve us, as he created an even bigger charge of magic. As Midna repeated her own response, I felt the Triforce beckon to me, and I felt for it. The growing magic coursed through our arms and swept into the sword, burning through our hand. Just in time I realised, and tilted the sword as an intense burst of light erupted from the blade straight into the ball of darkness heading our way.

The two magics exploded in indescribable light that blossomed outwards, driving back more and more of the Nothingness surrounding us. It was then that I realised Azréalus was still concentrating on his magic, both hands outstretched. With a grunt, more blackness flowed out of his fingers straight into the thrashing magic before us.

_Two can play at his game!_

I felt the energy flow back into the sword and an intense beam of golden-black power shot out into the opposite side.

Azréalus was furiously muttering indecipherable words, sweat rolling off his brow as his hands shook. _He must be struggling to hold on_, I thought victoriously. _And I barely feel tired._

_The amount of magic we've got as one, Link, hehe, I think we could cook him several times over! What do you prefer, spit-roast or boiled?_

_Anything as long as it's dead!_

The magic was reaching worrying proportions; the magics waged a war before us, whirling and thrashing several feet off the ground. Every now and again, I felt nibbles of darkness cross the beam from the sword, but with the slightest thought it was driven back.

_Come on, I'm getting bored!_

I gasped as I felt an enormous rush of all-too-familiar Shadow magic. Suddenly, all four pieces snapped out around us, whirled once, and slammed down over our head and shoulders. Power thundered through us, and I felt my Triforce erupt with energy, meeting the Shadow power head-on and merging.

This was it, the full power of Shadow and Light, channelled as one. I could feel Midna struggling to control the power and I grabbed ahold of it with my mind, helping her shape it, all the while maintaining the beam from the sword.

_This ought to do it! Eee hee hee!_

"WHOA!"

Energy unlike _anything_ I had ever felt before seared along our sword arm, straight into the blade, from where it erupted as an intense beam of light.

Pure white light.

It scorched my eyes as I watched, bringing up our other hand to shield them. Suddenly I felt something wash over me, like warm water; it flowed over and around me before vanishing, along with the burning light.

I tentatively lowered the shield and took in the scene before me.

The ball of energy was gone.

Azréalus was no longer standing. I quickly saw him collapsed on the ground, clutching both his hands to his chest. As I watched, I realised they were both smoking.

_Nicely done. We burnt out his power!_

The sorcerer panted in pain as he shook on the ground, trying to stand without success. He lifted his head with effort and looked directly at us. _"Wh-what h-h-have you… done…?"_

"_What we always do,"_ we replied. _"Disperse evil. Hyrule's had enough, and the Twilight Realm more than its share. Now, I guess killing you will seal the hole between dimensions?"_

"_Believe… what… what you want…" _he gasped. _"Darkness is the only constant. It can… never… be destroyed for-forever."_ He threw his hands before his face and cried out. I gasped when I saw they were charred, like burnt wood. And yet he clenched his fingers, his eyes locking with ours as he drew a breath and began chanting.

Somehow, I recognised the words, though I had never heard them before.

"_Spirits of darkness I compel thee, rise and claim the world as your own! Consume the light and restore to night, take your places on your ancient throne!"_

The smoke around his hands turned black and thickened as he repeated the spell.

_Now would be a very good time to act!_

I spun the sword uncertainly.

_Yep, this is one of those times, Link!_

My grip solidified on the sword as Azréalus chanted desperately before us. He was on his knees, and I stopped; it looked as though he was praying.

_Praying to the gods of Tessek! The result's going to be a lot worse if we don't stop him!_

_Can he really-?_

_Do you __**really**__ want to find out??_

As if in response, I felt Midna spin the sword and take a step towards him. I felt the magic shift, as though something was tearing, as if both sides of us were moving in different ways…

_We lose the union if we don't work together. Come on Link! You said it yourself! We have to do what is necessary!_

_You mean kill him!_

_Link, that spell is an ancient power. It'll use his own life-force to rip open the dimensions. He's going to die either way! And personally I'd rather Tessek stays in Tessek!_

I didn't think any further. I simply stepped forwards; the feeling of tearing vanished. As one, we stopped before our adversary.

Sweat dripped from his brow and in such a position, he was wide open to any kind of strike. We breathed deep and slow, and I could feel fear.

My own coupled with Midna's.

I didn't want to do this. My dark twin was one thing; he had sworn to keep trying, but Azréalus was commanding magic, and I didn't want to believe he was still capable of such an act.

_Link, it's going to happen! Accept it and stop it! We have to be together on this!_

At that moment, the sorcerer's head snapped up to look at us.

That second changed everything.

His eyes glowed red, pulsing with pure hatred.

"_You will not win!" _He snarled at us.

_Together, Midna._

_Let's end this!_

I felt another force grip the sword with me; golden-black magic coursed through our arm. I spun the sword ready, taking aim. Such an easy strike…

As one, we drove the sword straight into the crouching form before us.

Azréalus' breath caught, a rough gurgle rolling in his throat. His eyes blinked several times before his head lowered to face the blade impaled in his chest. He drew a rattling breath and looked back up at us, bringing his hands between us.

The black smoke thinned and vanished.

Another strained breath escaped his lips and his face slowly turned to acceptance. _"Darkness was not strong enough…"_ He whispered.

A rush of magic thundered down our arm and the sword began to glow. The light faded slowly between black and gold before turning pure white. The point at which the sword had run our adversary through glowed brighter, eventually radiating light.

Azréalus had frozen with a look of utmost shock on his face. His limbs began to slowly shake as he took rapid, shallow breaths, blood grouping in the corners of his mouth. Suddenly his eyes went wide.

Light, stronger than anything I had ever seen, erupted from the wound. It brightened to the point where it consumed him, and I felt our eyes burn as everything around us turned pure white

(~*~)

I loosed several arrows at Ganondorf as he cried out in determination, forcing a yell of pain from him. All of them met their target, vanishing into the air as the arrows scorched the flesh they touched.

But it did nothing to slow the growth of the black from the stone. It was still moving, ambling slowly outwards, a cloud of thick black…

It happened instantly.

Pure white light exploded from the stone, and I felt my eyes burning as I threw my hands up to shield my face. I couldn't see a thing, but I heard the Twili let loose an almighty roar of anger.

When the white finally dissipated, I tentatively lowered my arm, slowly bringing the bow to readiness.

All of the darkness had gone.

I let out a sigh of relief as I aimed the bow at Ganondorf, who stood facing the stone and breathing heavily. His ragged breaths were laced with rage.

"Impossible…" he snarled.

"Possible…" I whispered as I nocked another arrow.

"NO!" He roared, raising his hand above his head, and my sight was stolen again as gold erupted from it.

I released the arrow without looking, hearing the light weapon sink harmlessly into the sand. _What was he doing?!_

I scrunched up my eyes, trying desperately to see what was happening.

Ganondorf's Twili body was washed with golden light, to the point where I could not make out his form. The golden shape burned bright for several moments as I struggled to comprehend what he was doing. Finally the glow dimmed and I could see what had occurred.

"Oh Goddesses…" I breathed.

Not ten feet from me, rolling his head around to settle his neck bones, was the immense form of the Dark King.

Ganondorf had retaken his true form.

He gave a satisfied sigh, tilting his head back as I stood paralysed by fear. He slowly looked down at his hands, marvelling at his restored body. He snickered darkly. "All it took was a little kick in the right direction…" He looked upon the Triforce on his hand, the relic clearly glowing gold.

Panic was threatening to take me. I realised what he'd done; his rage and his natural power had allowed him to harness the Triforce's true power.

Icy chills swept through me. I knew he had used fragments of the relic's power, but I had never seen the sacred mark used to such a degree. If he could repeat that act, I stood no chance.

Ganondorf flexed his fingers and turned around. His cold, merciless eyes locked with mine. "Ah, such a valiant attempt, Princess. To think that a star like that could protect you… now that the full power of the Triforce is mine." He chuckled, again gazing at his mark. "The Nothingness may have been banished, but your Hero does not realise what he has set in motion now."

As if to prove himself, he clasped both hands together, interlocking his fingers as he began a low, quiet chant. He bowed his head and closed his eyes.

_Come on, there must be something you can do!_

I could barely think. If I left the protection of the star he could kill me instantly, but if he truly did command the Triforce's true energy, my efforts to stay alive were in vain. Nothing could protect me from such power.

_Stop it! You're stronger than this! You've faced him before and survived! If only to buy them time, you've got to fight him!_

My free hand clenched into a fist. That voice was right; too long had I relied on others to save me. I had lasted this long; I would fight him until my dying breath if it gave Link and Midna a chance.

As I searched for a spell, or a charm, or anything I could use on him, I saw another golden glow emerge from his hands. He slowly drew his hands apart to reveal a ball of golden energy.

My mind stalled.

The Gerudo raised his head to face me and sneered. "You think that the Hero will come rushing to save you. As much as it is my desire to face him man to man, he has irked me too much for that. In time, his punishment will find him. Until then…" He smirked darkly, his eyes closed to serpentine slits. He drew a deep breath and parted his hands, holding the crackling ball of gold in his Triforce hand.

What happened next made my blood run cold.

In one motion he snapped around, his arm following as he cast the golden ball.

I flinched.

But the ball wasn't heading for me.

I followed its path as fear coursed through me.

It flew majestically through the air.

Straight into the Void Stone.

Time slowed.

I watched with absolute panic as the swirling energy neared the black rock. There was nothing I could do to stop it. As soon as it touched, the ball exploded with a deafening roar. And my worst fears came true.

The force of the attack blasted the top of the Stone apart, tiny fragments of the ruined obsidian raining from the sky a moment later. In its wake, the rest of the black rock crumbled, chunks falling freely to the ground.

_The portal had been completely destroyed._

_Link was trapped forever in the Twilight Realm._

_And I was here, facing Ganondorf._

_Alone_.

Every thought met with a shot of panic. I was frozen in absolute terror. The Gerudo slowly turned, a satisfied smirk on his face. "A fitting end for the relic they used to try and destroy me,"he cackled. "Your Hero will never see the light again. He isn't coming to save you, Princess. No-one will rush to your aid."

He smiled menacingly. "We find ourselves in the same situation again, don't we?" He narrowed his eyes and glared at me. "The choice is still yours, that question for the ages. Surrender to me, your true King, or you will die and I will lay waste to your precious land. I leave it to you to decide."

_No._

_You've been forced around by too many people. Your life is your own to live. Link fights for his. Now you've got no choice! Never give up!_

Suddenly I felt my own Triforce warm. _Link?!_

No answer.

Instead, golden energy, more intense than anything I had ever felt, flooded into my body. Energy of the stars…

_Wait!_

_THAT'S IT!!_

The answer grabbed me and shook me. I could feel it, screaming to me, and I acted. Such colossal power was already flowing through me, so driven by my thoughts and my fears and I knew the spell would not be necessary. Sparks of golden magic crossed my hands and I threw the bow onto my shoulder. I met eyes with Ganondorf, his face questioning as he saw my hands.

I focused on his face, feeling my hatred for him rise. All my emotions crashed into my mind, every fear I had repressed, every trace of anger, everything that could possibly distract me. I stepped back from it all, shaping the emotions into a force that drove even more magic out of the Triforce into me.

_I WILL kill you if it is the last thing I ever do!!_

My teeth bared as I felt the emotional energies surging through me, and I threw myself down, slamming my hand into the ground as I yelled out, _"PLURII!!!"_

The response was immediate.

Golden energy rippled out into the ground and bolts of lighting ran in reverse as bursts of gold shooting from the ground.

I followed them into the sky.

And the stars began to fall.

* * *

Biggest issue I found with this is that I grabbed onto the first major-plot-point that I thought of without thinking about how I'd develop it. It's been extremely difficult to keep things coherent and stop them devolving to the point where people start asking me 'WTF are you going on about??' Please say that hasn't happened yet!  
As for the promise of a major action scene, I'll grant you this wasn't up to much. I guess I'll have to make it up to you all - let's just say one major bad guy is still in play!  
Update: Merged what was Chapter 33 into this to make one longer chapter instead of one modest and one far-too-short. C33 wrote itself after I uploaded C32. This should read okay, too!  
Until then,  
Gargravarr


	38. Chapter 33: Into the Light Part 3

Rewritten 18/04/2010  
**Right, major rewrite to this chapter.** TCR highlighted the fact that the underlying message of the merger was being undermined if I let events continue. I've taken things back to the drawing board and mostly rewritten it. Sorry to mess people around like this... again! This chapter has been very kindly beta'd by Varanus - thanks a bundle mate, really helped! And if TCR's reading, I understand you were busy, so I decided to just post based on Varanus' feedback and see what happens. My only regret is that people who've already reviewed won't be able to. If you want to leave a review, you can try reviewing an earlier chapter and say it's for this one. Otherwise, any general or specific comments, send me a message!  
Anyway, enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 33  
…Into the Light Part 3

(~+~)

The white slowly faded. I couldn't tell how long we'd been embraced by the light; a moment? An hour? A day?

And were we still…?

In fact, who was I, really?

Was I still me?

I shook myself and cracked open my eyes.

The light all around me was retreating, leaving behind the welcoming sight of black squares floating across my sight.

I realised I was lying on the ground, on my back, or was it our back? Were we still one?

I gently rolled my head around, looking to my other side.

My blurry vision saw green.

"Link…" I breathed.

My sight gradually cleared as I picked myself up from the ground. I was still me, I thought as I rose from the ground. I gently crawled over to Link's head, raising my hand to check on him.

Wait!

A tingle swept down my spine, taking longer than usual...

That hand wasn't the hand I had seen so much of!

Could it really be true?!

Barely breathing, I looked down my arm. Far from its normal grey and white, it was a beautiful, familiar blue!

I straightened up, feeling long, slender legs beneath me, and a thin, silky-soft garment covering my body.

I reached up to touch my face, feeling soft strands of hair flowing down.

"Ha!" I gasped, tears breaking from my eyes.

_I was myself again!_

Light and Shadow united... they'd banished my darkness away!

My thoughts played over and over until I was crying from happiness. We'd done it. We'd fulfilled the ancient prophecy.

Link had saved me, brought me back a second time...

As I knelt by Link's head, tears of pure joy streaming down my face, I looked at him. I'd been so overwhelmed I'd neglected to check on him, but I could sense he was okay. My magic was coursing through me again, stronger than my imp form, perhaps even stronger than before, and I could sense his life-force. He was exhausted and resting, breathing softly with his eyes closed, as if asleep.

I placed my hand gently on his cheek, whispering his name. He drew a deeper breath and opened his eyes. His shimmering blue pools met my eyes and he smiled.

"Rise and shine, Hero," I whispered as he sat up. As soon as he did, I hugged him fiercely, feeling his arms echo the gesture as he held me tight. Even sitting up, I was taller than him, and he struggled to stay upright against my much larger form.

"This is a wonderful dream…" He breathed.

I smiled. It seemed the tables had turned! I pulled him back out of the hug and met eyes with him. After a moment, I grinned, swept my hand across his head to knock his hat to the floor, wrapped one hand in his hair and pulled him into a deep kiss.

My love returned the liplock with even more passion, both his arms scrabbling for grip on my back. In response, I tightened my grip around him. Our lips moved hungrily over the others', our breaths short and ragged as tears glistened in Link's eyes. I laughed when I guessed he was struggling to believe it too.

When our lips finally parted, Link fell back slightly, still hanging onto me, his eyes half-lidded. "I'm more willing to believe it's a dream than ever."

"Why's that?" I smirked.

"Because of this beautiful Goddess sitting before me," he smiled.

My face broke to the widest smile I could managed and I grabbed Link again, pulling him strongly into a hug. "I can't believe it's true..." I whispered, the weight of what had happened still crashing into me.

My curse was gone.

I was a Princess again!

And we'd banished the Darkness!

I could feel that, too; without even looking, I felt the wonderful Shadow magic flowing through the Temple. It was all back to normal... the Realm had been restored. I cried into Link's neck a few times, completely unable to speak.

"We did it..." Link breathed against my shoulder. "We really did it..."

I leant back and kissed his cheek, my face still soaked with tears. I looked into his eyes and nodded. "Yes my Hero, we did!" I whispered. I stroked his hair again, looking around us.

All around us, the Twilight was rising as if nothing had happened. The Temple, although small, looked like any other, though from the centre rose two obsidian columns, both of which were ragged and cracked. Several lumps had fallen from them, and I knew. "We destroyed the connection. That was the portal, right there…"

Link gave a happy, relieved sigh and looked back at me. "Are you okay?" He asked softly as his warm hands stroked my back.

His embrace, coupled with the sense of accomplishment, made me feel wonderful. I was ready to burst from joy. "Yeah…" I breathed. "I have **never **been better!" I grinned. "How are you feeling?"

He gave a chuckle. "I have a killer headache…" He raised one hand to his forehead to illustrate his point. I giggled in response.

"Here…" I whispered. I placed my hand over his and called my powers, purple sparks playing around my fingertips as our hands met. His eyes fell shut and he breathed deep, sighing out his breath.

He cracked open his eyes. "That feels a lot better. Thanks."

I smiled as he pulled me back into a hug. It was still sinking in… we really had done it. The Nothingness had been banished forever.

I raised my head to look Link in the eyes; I could almost see myself reflected in his sapphire depths. All he seemed to think about was me…

I placed my hands behind his back and pulled him into another deep kiss.

As we enjoyed the moment, I suddenly felt Link stiffen and flinch. He pulled back his head and gasped.

My eyes flew wide open. "Link, what's wrong?" I said urgently. I could sense something was amiss. Magic was flowing within him. A very strong power.

His left side was shaking and he raised his unsteady hand. He clutched his wrist with the other. I felt a chill sweep through me as I saw his Triforce glowing brightly.

His breathing was laboured and deep, his fingers clenched like claws as he panted. This had never happened before! "Link, please!" I said, grabbing his face. "What is it?"

He gasped again. "I… I don't know…" He panted a few times. "Something's different! I-I can feel… feel something…"

Suddenly his head snapped up and his eyes went wide, his stare vacant at the ceiling.

"LINK!" I yelled at him, grabbing his shoulders.

But he didn't seem to hear me…

(~^~)

Midna's returned form was enough to take on its own. I couldn't believe it, that the ancient legend had come true. _She was back..._

But as I struggled to come to terms with it, the Golden Power flared up. The burning on my hand grew more intense than ever. It still didn't hurt, but it was throbbing most unpleasantly. Flashes of gold rippled through my mind, throwing my thoughts off-balance. I struggled to see and to think.

All at once, the gold flooded my eyes and I couldn't see for a moment. I would have gasped, but I couldn't breathe.

Then the gold retreated, and I saw-

Oh Goddesses!

I saw Ganondorf and Zelda.

Fear would have flooded me but I felt nothing. I was transfixed by the image.

Both figures were faint, as if I were looking through misty glass, and I could hear nothing. But I could make out the Gerudo… wait, hadn't Midna told me he had possessed a Twili…?

As I watched, the two prepared to do battle. Ganondorf drew together his hands and suddenly I felt gold glow through me.

_This has something to do with the Triforce!_

He spoke words I could not hear to Zelda, and after a moment suddenly whirled around, releasing the ball of energy.

My invisible jaw plummeted as I saw the Void Stone was his target.

The Stone was destroyed almost instantly.

_NO!!!_

With an explosion of gold the vision dispersed.

I was staring at the elegant ceiling of the ancient Temple, panting hard. After a moment I realised there were hands on my head and a voice was frantically screaming my name.

I slowly gained control of myself and looked down to see Midna, her huge red eyes wide in panic. "Link!" She gasped. "Please! Tell me what happened!"

I was still shaking, the fear of what I'd seen catching up and coursing through my body. So much to take in so little time... my mind was ready to just give up. I held onto myself, breathing as deeply as I could for several moments. Midna's hold on me helped keep me steady as I willed my mind to hold together. A few moments later, struggling to control my quaking voice, I told her, "I saw Ganondorf… he destroyed the Void Stone!"

Midna's form went totally taut. She drew a gasping breath, her eyes flying wide open. "N-no… Oh Gods, no!"

I choked on my breath as I felt more surges of gold from the Triforce. This time, there was something different. The pulses had a rhythm to them, almost like…

…heart beats…

I willed myself to relax; I closed my eyes and focused only on the gold. My breathing finally steadied, though I could feel Midna shaking and mumbling incoherently. As much as I yearned to comfort her, I knew there was something about this strange turn of events that was calling to me.

Slowly, the flares of energy became two distinct pulses; one that told me gold, and the other black. The black was calm, slow and steady, while the gold raced frantically.

_Link…_

My eyes went wide.

The words felt golden in my mind and I was struck dumb.

_It was Zelda! I could hear her at last!_

I finally knew.

I could sense the other two pieces of the Triforce, and with it their bearers. They were so close, and the full power of the relic was being unleashed.

The connection was so strong, I could feel Zelda as if I were standing right beside her, and the dark hatred of the black energy could only be one other.

A third burst of energy joined the others, and when I glanced at my hand, I saw the relic pulsing in time to it.

My own piece had joined in.

Suddenly I felt the other two pieces grab me, as though pulling on me…

My eyes flew wide open and, pushing out of Midna's embrace, I flew to my feet.

"WHOA!" She shouted, catching herself on the ground as I checked for the sword. Where was it…!

_There!_

The sword we had wielded as one was nowhere to be seen, but I caught sight of both the Master and Twilight Swords, lunging for them. The pull was getting stronger, and I had to fight it back as I stood up holding the blades. The moment the Master Sword settled into my grasp, the burning intensified again. I knew what was going to happen.

I quickly realised Midna was still yelling at me and I turned to face her, giving her the hilt of the Twilight Sword. "Take it!" I said urgently.

She gave a sharp nod and the sword vanished. She stooped and picked up an object from the ground; I saw it was the fallen Shadow. "Link, what's going on?" She fired at me, making the helmet vanish too as I grabbed my hat from the ground.

"Quick, hold onto me!" I commanded, sheathing the Master Sword. She obeyed and wrapped her arms tightly around my chest, her head nestled into my shoulder. "Hang on tight!" I said in warning. "I don't think this is going to be pleasant!"

As a massive burst of energy ricocheted through me from the Triforce, the entire world erupted into gold, and I felt as though my very soul were unravelling. The last thing I could discern was a scream from Midna before everything spun into white.

(~*~)

Ganondorf roared as the Star Rain fell around him. Enormous bursts of intense golden energy, each one powerful enough to level a building, plunged into the sand around us. By its nature, the spell would not harm the ground from which it was cast, but anything above it was an easy target.

As I crouched, I channelled the Triforce and my own powers, furiously casting Nayru's Love into the star. It felt so easy now, so natural… It was like I had finally mastered a difficult spell and could cast it by snapping my fingers. In an instant, the magical barrier around me strengthened by what felt like tenfold.

Fortunate, as the blasts of golden rain began to impact onto the shield around me. I had sent so much power into the spell that it was impossible to control. It was enough that I had summoned the blasts to a small area.

Ganondorf roared in rage as he sidestepped the falling energy, occasionally raising his hands to counter the blasts with intense magic that drained him for an instant. Occasionally our eyes locked, and I could _feel_ the pure hatred in his gaze, his face twisted and malevolent.

I knew there was little chance of one of the blasts actually striking him, but equally knew that avoiding or countering my attack would tire him greatly.

It began to scare me how much Rain had fallen; I had thrown so much energy, so much magic into the attack that a spell that would supposedly last only a few moments continued to ravage the Chamber for nearly a minute. Eventually Ganondorf began to pant loudly, and I could see him struggling to carry on; running was futile, as the entire area was at equal risk, and any spell that would warp him out of range would leave him wide open to being hit. Until the spell dissipated, he had no choice but to play my way, I thought with satisfaction.

Maintaining the shield was beginning to get to me, and I began chanting the incantation to keep it going. The effort began to gnaw at me, even though only a minute or two had passed since I had first cast the spell. A few moments later I felt my powers begin to crack, and my entire body began to ache with effort. Without realising, I was breathing deeply and quickly, but the Gerudo was still dancing between the Raindrops, which were slowly thinning out…

Finally I could stand it no longer and broke off the charm as the last Raindrop fell. As it sank into the sand, I collapsed to the ground, holding myself by my shaking arms. I panted a few times into the ground before I forced my gaze up. I had to keep track of Ganondorf.

The Gerudo had his hands on his knees, breathing heavily. He caught me watching him and snorted. "Mere exercise, Princess," he sneered. "And you are in no state to carry on after such a spell."

I felt my Triforce ignite on its own. A familiar voice sounded in my mind, and I realised with a rush of astonishment what was about to occur. "Maybe not…" I replied. I carefully twisted my Triforce hand, feeling the mark burn brighter, like a compass pointing the way. When it burned its brightest, I twisted my head to look. "But maybe they are!"

Just off to the side, close to the edge of the Chamber, a blast of gold exploded in mid-air. Both the Gerudo and I shielded our eyes from the light.

A strange sound filled the Chamber, like nothing I could place. Gradually it cleared, until with horror, I realised it was a scream.

A scream of utter confusion, and in a voice that was distantly familiar…

"Oh Goddesses, please be all right," I breathed.

"This is impossible…" the Gerudo panted, completely transfixed by the image. Even so, I had no energy to attack him again. My magic was drained, and the Triforce was burning uncomfortably. I could see the sorcerer's piece flickering too, and I quickly realised why. The connection between all three bearers, each of us harnessing more of the relic, was resonating, drawing us all together by itself.

The golden shape grew larger and flashed white, dazing me for a moment before my sight returned. Two figures fell heavily from the shape to collapse to the ground, both large and brightly coloured. One was a deep forest green, the other a brilliant sky blue...

My jaw plummetted._ IT CAN'T BE!_

As Link's form began to move on the ground, the golden shape flickered and vanished. Beside him I saw the Twilight Princess herself, the blue-skinned, towering Midna, struggle to her feet and rush to Link's head.

_Impossible... Oh forget it! IT'S THEM! THEY MADE IT!!_

At that, I leapt up, pushing aside my protesting magic. I didn't need it to get to them…

The moment I'd left the star, something grabbed me by my throat and shoulders, and with horror, I realised I was being pulled towards Ganondorf!

(~^~)

"I… **NEVER**… want… to do… that… again…" I grunted as I tried to sit up. My head was spinning as if I'd rolled down a hill. "Ugh…" I felt hands on my head again. "Midna, are you alright?" I breathed, opening my eyes to see her.

Her breaths were heaving as if trying not to be sick, but she nodded fiercely. "Yeah..." she groaned. "Definitely not pleasant, but I think my magic helped me hold together..." She shuddered. "For the most part."

My mind much more at ease that she was okay, I turned to look around.

We'd made it.

We were back in the World of Light, in the Mirror Chamber.

I sighed with relief.

I struggled to hold onto my thoughts as my head swam; a wave of nausea hit me again, though not as bad as what had just happened. I was amazed my last meal hadn't reappeared. I panted through, holding myself together as Midna helped support me. I forced myself to look up.

The scene was just as I had seen in my vision. Zelda and Ganondorf stood facing us. The Gerudo had a look of utter disbelief across his dark face, while Zelda seemed to be relieved beyond description.

"We made it," Midna whispered unsteadily in my ear.

"Thank the Goddesses…" I breathed.

Still panting, I tried to lift myself from the ground, and I saw Zelda launch herself towards me.

_Oh no…_

Just as I feared, I felt a wash of magic around me. Ganondorf's hand was outstretched and Zelda stopped in her tracks, giving a yelp of surprise before flying backwards. My body refused to listen to me and I rested helplessly on Midna as she gasped, struggling not to drop me.

_I have to fight him! I have to save her!_

I pleaded with my body as Ganondorf wrapped his hand around Zelda's throat. With his other hand, he covered her mouth to stop her crying out. He snorted. "Impressive, Hero. I would never have thought such a pathetic creature as you could ever wield the Triforce as do those for whom it was meant." His own mark flashed gold just to etch the message in.

"I was chosen by the Goddesses," I replied weakly, still grasping for my strength. "I bear it rightfully! You stole it and caused unspeakable damage!"

"The Triforce is mine by right!" The Gerudo spat. "It is in my blood to rule everything that is and ever will be! You Heroes are insolent little mongrels, always biting at my heels! Twice you have failed in your goals!"

His hand squeezed Zelda's throat and she stiffened, a whimper escaping the dark wizard's hand. Rage shot into me and began to build.

"Why won't you learn, Hyrule is **mine!** Or do I have to kill your precious Princess to make you see that?" He squeezed again; Zelda's eyes flew wide.

"You leave her!" I roared. "Your fight is with me!"

"So true, Hero," he sneered. "And the best way to hurt you is to hurt someone you care for." The hand that held Zelda's throat suddenly went to his belt, and returned with a horrific-looking dagger. Zelda screamed out behind the hand.

Pushing off Midna, I forced myself to my feet, and as I did, my eyes met with Zelda's. In that instant, I heard her.

_Link, don't._

_I'm going to save you,_ I thought back.

_No, really, duck._

_Yikes!_

I suddenly realised Zelda was planning something and I heard her quietly chanting in her mind through our connection, _"Ardumé urdimé rasuroi tellos buchen."_

I reacted on instinct and threw myself down into the sand, pulling Midna with me as a large shape shot over my head. I saw Ganondorf's eyes go wide and I tried to see what was happening. _What had she done?_

The Gerudo dropped the dagger and Zelda forced her way out of his grasp just in time, but the sorcerer wasn't able to stop the object, which slammed straight into his face with what sounded like incredible force.

The object fell straight to the ground and revealed Ganodorf's cringing face, groaning with pain. With satisfaction, I saw the object land on his foot, bringing forth another strangled cry of pain. As the object came to rest, I saw it split open neatly.

_It was a huge book!_

I laughed as I rose. _It was one of the law books Zelda had brought to read!_

I felt hands on my arm and I grabbed for them, seeing Zelda at my side as I lifted myself off the ground. I glanced at her before watching the sorcerer again. "I have to say… nice shot!" I smiled, leaning slightly on her whilst my body again tried to retch.

Zelda grinned. "That book came in useful after all!" She immediately held out her hand and helped Midna to her feet. "Greetings, Princess," she smiled as Midna took her feet.

Midna echoed the smile. "I've wanted to throw the book at the Council far too many times! Nicely done!" Zelda laughed in response.

"Just… don't take that approach with everything…" I recommended, still unsteady.

Ganondorf kicked the book away and roared in anger. "INSOLENT CHILDREN! YOU MOCK ME!"

Even though Ganondorf stood before us as a great enemy, seeing him like this made me laugh slightly. We were pushing him over the edge, it seemed.

The sorcerer's face twisted in rage and he held out his hand again. I drew the sword, ready to drive it into his chest should he pull me next.

_But wait, he'll save me until-_

_MIDNA!_

I spun around and saw she was struggling to stay still.

(~+~)

Dark magic was draped over me; I fought it, but it was strong. The trip between worlds had sent my powers into a spin, and summoning a coherent spell was difficult. It took a lot to hold myself steady, to resist the Gerudo's spell.

The magic flowed and tightened, constricting me, squeezing me… Before long, I struggled to breathe. I could barely see Zelda rush over to me, and Link spin around and spot me an instant later. I opened my mouth to call for help, but I couldn't speak… I couldn't breathe…

A blast of gold erupted from Link's sword and washed out into the Chamber. The dark magic over me was swept away and I felt myself being caught in the wave; I was thrown backwards, only to be caught by something that crashed to the ground behind me, with me landing heavily on to of it.

The burst of gold receded and Link's head turned to glare at the Gerudo. "When are you going to learn never to hold people over me?!" He spat at the sorcerer. "You will never touch her, heclic!"

"Charming use of words, Hero," Ganondorf sneered. "Because whilst I agree my birth was not in wedlock, my parents did not abandon me."

The air all around us suddenly became very cold. I felt the soft object I had crashed into and grabbed onto it; I looked up to see Zelda. Her uncovered face was white in shock; she panted lightly, her breaths fast and shallow. After a moment, she released a low, whistling breath and spoke, barely whispering. "This just went past simple justice." Her voice was cold with fear.

A tingle swept over my skin as I followed her train of thought. "This is going to get very bad," I said slowly.

"Very fast," Zelda added.

"And you shouldn't be here to witness it," I said, rolling myself to my knees. I looked her in the eyes. "Don't argue; you're not safe."

"I've fought him already," Zelda protested.

"It's not him I'm worried about," I said flatly. "It's Link. He's unlocked more power than I've ever seen and if he loses control of it…"

Zelda gave a silent nod of understanding.

"I might be the only one who can save him from himself," I concluded quietly. "I can't risk you getting caught in the crossfire."

She gave another nod. "Okay Midna."

"I'll get you out of here," I said, channelling my magic to her just like I'd guided Link.

"Midna," Zelda said. I looked back at her, holding onto the power that had built around me.

"What?" I whispered, struggling not to release the magic.

"Keep him safe," she said. "And good luck."

"I will, and thanks," I told her. My eyes fell shut as I released the power, sending Zelda back to Hyrule in a swirl of magic. As soon as she was gone, I spun around to Link.

Any other man would not still be standing there. For the time we'd talked, he stood facing the Gerudo, his stance frozen but his breaths slow and heavy. I could feel the rage burning from his body as I picked myself up and ran over to him, noticing his sword twitching.

He must have sensed me, because he suddenly spoke, "The crimes you have committed are unforgivable." His voice was surprisingly calm, but only just stable. "You cursed two worlds, killed hundreds and condemned thousands to torment and injury. For this, you deserve to die. But because you made this personal," he spat, his voice rising, "I am going to deny your fate. I am going to bring you to the edge of life. I will leave you begging for death and deny you. I will hold you on the brink of death forever!"

Ganondorf sneered. "You talk bigger than you are, Hylian. Men braver than you have faced me and said the same thing. All have fallen before me. Your predecessor could not defeat me. What makes you believe you are any different?"

Link cast me a glance and nodded. I materialised the sword from my pocket. As Ganondorf was about to make a snide remark, Link raised the Master Sword. "This is what makes me different," he said, golden energy sparkling around the Light blade. I allowed my magic to run free, sending an intense rush of swirling black particles into the steel. I smirked; I knew what was going to happen, and given what he'd done, I was going to enjoy this!

_This time, it's for real! No holding back!_

"I don't fight alone," Link finished in a voice of utmost finality. The blade rose and I followed suit. Link and I swung together, and with a ring of steel to steel, our swords met.

* * *

Rewrite: TCR made a very good point a few chapters ago that I did consider, but I went along the original path because I thought it would make more sense. However, it's been brought to my attention that I was wrong, and the previous version of this does not read well at all. I know I have the final say, but TCR was completely right; keeping Midna as an imp completely undermines the message. Couldn't have described it better - I made her into a powerup for Link and that was just so awfully accurate it had me cringing. This is gonna change a few things, original ending included, but that's why I beg for feedback - it helps the story stay in keeping with your expectations and helps me, as a writer, get my message across better.  
Assume it takes a minute or two to cross between realms; that's why the pair are so shaken up. Also, I am very surprised no-one ever picked me up on words like 'heclic' that I've been throwing in; I made them up, after all!  
I hope Link doesn't go OOC towards the end, but I think Ganondorf is really starting to irritate him!  
Next chapter: Link & Midna vs. Ganondorf. Anyone interested? If so, give me a few days to write it; gonna be big...  
Update: minor spelling and formatting corrections  
Until next time!  
Gargravarr


	39. Chapter 34: Ex Caelum, Ex Inferus

All right! Got it written! I got a little stuck after C33 and with some help from RiderlessWolf, who helped me put my ideas together, and a beta-reading by Varanus, I got together the chapter.  
I don't think I made any review replies and for that I am sorry; things have been very busy recently. My exam season is starting soon and I know you'll kill me for saying, but it might take me a fortnight to write the next chapter. Got to revise and sort out a placement year before mid-May. Sorry all!  
So, enjoy, then please don't kill me!

* * *

Chapter 34  
Ex Caelum, Ex Inferus

(~*~)

"Damn it, Minda!" I cursed, seeing the castle stretch out before me. "You should really ask..." I muttered to myself. I wasn't particularly keen on having a portal on my doorstep, even though I couldn't see it.

I stood on the balcony for long moments, gazing down at the courtyard below before turning to face the direction of the desert.

_They're fighting him… right now…_

The thoughts nagged at me and I felt useless. I felt like I needed to do _something_ but in my head, I knew there was precious little I could do. I was still a young girl, despite everything. Though I could fight with magic, even my abilities with the Triforce could not match Ganondorf's. And then Link…

I shook my head. Midna was right; he'd displayed a startling degree of power. His mind would have to be almost completely aligned with his Triforce for it to allow him to switch realms like that. And though his crossing wasn't clean, it showed he had unlocked higher abilities than I had ever thought possible. His powers could rival or perhaps even exceed mine, which scared me. My abilities with magic had been honed through years of intense training. I had borne the Triforce all my life, so I guessed Link had too, but he had only recently discovered its powers.

The Twilight Princess was right; if those abilities got out of control, there would be little hope of Link surviving, save for someone highly skilled in magic being there.

And there were none more skilled than her.

Events had occurred so quickly… only an hour ago had we departed this castle, and now Midna had recovered her form, which I assumed meant that the Twilight Realm had been restored, and Ganondorf himself was now poised to unleash his evil.

_In one hour the threat of the end of the world had arrived at Hyrule's doorstep…_

I felt so powerless. I knew I should have faith, that none were better experienced, better skilled and better equipped to destroy the evil than the Hero Chosen by the Goddesses and the powerful sorceress he loved above all. I had always been faithful.

And yet I knew how my faith had been rewarded; it came after a string of events that had so nearly torn my kingdom apart. My reward had been both of them back then, too.

If such a chain of events had served only to weaken our adversary, what would it take to finally end him? I shivered at the thought.

_Can they really do it? If everything before couldn't kill him… if losing Midna wasn't enough… what will Link have to face? Will that destroy him first? And what about Midna? They're in this together now…_

The thoughts were heavy to me. I couldn't answer them. I feared for them; I truly felt scared that they were deep in something they were not able to face. Before, Midna had given her life to disperse his powers. Now he had unlocked the full power of his Triforce. It scared me to think that Midna could be forced to do so again.

Seeing her restored to her Twili form, I remembered her playful greeting to Link, that moment I knew she was still her, that she still loved him. When they both returned to the Chamber, I laughed as I thought _I_ had been lost for words! In so little time, everything had changed, and I truly could not find words to express my thoughts.

But my thoughts remained. So fast had this happened… it made me think about the fragile nature of time; about how quickly our greatest moments could slip through our fingers, how in mere instants the world could change for better or worse. Events of such calibre that they changed the world often filled tomes with their details, but the point at which the scales tipped was but an instant, a single grain in the hourglass of ages.

Victory or defeat was decided in a single moment, never the whole event.

I sighed. Time passed too fast for us all. I had been swept up so much by the events that I had neglected the details. If the fate of Hyrule was to be decided in an instant, I wished to spend all the time leading up to it appreciating those details.

Barely realising I had left, I was walking through the castle halls. The sun was setting and the castle was preparing for night. Doubtless the servants would be taking their meals by now; I had no wish to bump into one in my present state. I smiled, seeing the blue suit ripped and torn. _What would they think?_ Feeling the cool air around me ripple over my back, I laughed slightly, realising the state I must be in. Anyone following me would set eyes on the most peculiar sight!

My feet took me to his room by themselves. So caught up was I in my thoughts that I stood before his bed without remembering opening the door. I smiled, watching him rest. Perhaps he slept, perhaps he was lost in his own world. In either case, I crossed silently to his bedside and placed myself in the chair beside it.

Orlon seemed so peaceful, as if an onslaught of thoughts had never flooded his mind. I knew him to be a dreamer, an idealist…

And awake.

I smiled as I saw Orlon's soft blue eyes crack open, sensing someone in the room with him. He slowly turned his head to see me. "Pr…" He said faintly, before both eyes snapped wide open. "PRINCESS?!"

I smiled widely and nodded. "Yes Orlon, it is me."

"Goddesses, Princess, what happened?" He said in worry as he tried to sit up, wincing at his wound.

I rose and placed my arms around him, laying him softly back down. "The tale is long and arduous," I quietly replied, still smiling.

Orlon's features began to echo the smile. "It's him, isn't it? Your warrior… Link?"

I nodded slowly. "Link is doing what he does best. I allowed him enough time to begin."

"An extraordinary man…" He noted contently. "Does he know that I owe my life to him?"

"Yes, he does, and he insists you think nothing of it," I replied happily. "Link is selfless and noble, sometimes to a fault. It is in his blood to save others."

"So I hear… Is this his current task? Saving others?"

My face broke and I gave a solemn nod. "Perhaps us all," I whispered.

To my surprise, Orlon did not begin to panic, as I had thought he might, but instead sighed softly. "Link has performed exceptional acts. He truly has saved lands. And I know you have chosen wisely…"

I jerked slightly. "What do you speak of?"

His head turned away from me. "He is the one who will complete you, is he not? You speak so much of him…" He sighed, seemingly… defeated…

"Orlon, please…" I rose again and softly placed my fingers beneath his chin, drawing his head back around. When our eyes finally met, I saw he could not help but smile. "Link is beyond a friend to me, but our hearts are not the same. My heart still waits for the right person to claim it…"

"Princess, please…" he whispered. "That I could even consider myself worthy of your affections shames me. I am a simple man, riding his brother's name. You deserve so much better than me."

"Orlon…" I whispered, emotion beginning to play around my face. "The highest honours mean nothing to me. I care little for titles and formalities. The person behind them is of greater importance than could ever be put into words."

"Princess…" he whispered.

"Orlon, to you I will be no princess, if you so wish. Please, do not separate us…" I replied, equally quiet. I watched his eyes begin to dance and quiver slightly. "You make me happy, Orlon. Just to be here with you, it gives me hope that light can be found within the darkest night. That one day, peace and calm will reign over all that is, and ever will be."

"Z… Zelda…" he said softly. I smiled when my name was used alone. The distance between us suddenly closed. "I… am nothing to you. I am weak; I could not stop my own kin from trying to harm you. How can I make you happy?"

"By being you," I whispered. "You have shown your true self, that for the one you love most, you would defy your own blood who would wish them harm. You have strength you do not let yourself know, and I believe that such undiscovered strength, carefully nurtured and directed…" I placed my hand over his, my eyes starting to glisten. "Orlon… I want to be the one to help you discover that strength. I want to show you that happiness does not care who you are…"

I watched Orlon for a long moment as he drank in every word I had said, his eyes never leaving me. And after that moment, as my breath had still frozen in my chest, I saw his face break to a tearful smile. "Zelda Hyrule… I know you speak only words of truth… and… and if I can make you happy… I will…" His hand gripped mine tightly and I echoed it, drawing from the connection that his words were equally true. My heart told me they were, and it told me this was _right_. My head had ruled me for too long. I had become cold and distant, and now I felt warm… wonderfully warm…

Tears broke my eyes in happiness and I leant down to him. I slipped my hand tenderly under his neck and drew our lips painfully close. Inwardly I smirked, still waiting for him to make the first move, if this would be the first st-

My thoughts were knocked aside as warm, soft lips were pressed against mine. Orlon embraced me gently at first, but as I surrendered to his touch, both of us tightened our grip on the other. All through the kiss, all I could think was that this was it. Love. What had nearly destroyed Link. What he went on to fight for, what kept him going, and what he fought with now.

I could never understand before, how he could allow his feelings to rule him, to bring him to the edge of darkness. But it all made sense, I knew, as I felt the warmth flood me. Just like he, I had found someone to call my own, and I wouldn't trade this moment for anything.

If it was the Goddesses' wish that the scales tip to black today, then so be it, because I finally knew what I had fought for.

(~^~)

Rage.

All I felt as our swords met was rage.

This… this _caprazet_ had taken things too far!

I was already breathing heavily, but when the magic began to flood me I felt as if I was breathing from deep underwater. Pressure covered every inch of me, my anger, my _hatred_ of this creature before me roaring like a fire through my being.

All I wished was to use this new power to destroy him in the most painful way possible.

It was a few moments before I realised…

_Midna and I still stood!_

_What was wrong?!_

The Gerudo before us laughed. "Pathetic, Hero. You do not know the first thing about magic and you would use it to defy me?" He drew his hands together and growled, his fingers rippling as he grinned sinisterly. "THIS is magic!"

An inhuman roar rippled through the air as I saw Ganondorf's Triforce burst into gold.

"Ohhhh no…" Midna breathed.

_Oh yes!_

Ganondorf's form changed to a shapeless being for a moment, before growing larger… much larger… and growing tusks…

"Oh sh-" I yelled as the form lunged for us. I rammed into Midna's shoulder and knocked her out of the way, sending both of us sprawling to the ground, our swords clattering on the stone beneath the sand. "This was not supposed to happen!"

(~+~)

I couldn't explain it.

Why had it failed?!

It was exactly what we'd done before!

As the lumbering beast thundered past where we had once stood, I realised…

_Those who do not know the danger of wielding power will, before long, be ruled by it…_

Lanayru's haunting words rang clear in my head after so long.

Link was giving into his rage, trying to use all his abilities purely to destroy Ganondorf.

The great beast charged for Link again and he rolled out of the way. The horrendous monster changed course, now heading for me. With a snap of my fingers I broke my body into Twilight particles, allowing the beast to charge straight through where I stood. "Try again!" I taunted.

The thundering beast suddenly vanished into thin air.

"I've been here before…" Link grunted, pulling himself from the ground. I felt out with my mind, searching for the beast.

_Here he comes!_

I felt the explosion of dark magic and grabbed Link's tunic collar, wrenching him out of the way of the rampaging beast before repeating my disappearing act.

Link crashed into the sand and growled in anger. "Frack, I forgot to grab the crystal!" He punched the ground to etch in his point.

"Forget it, Link!" I told him, again watching and feeling for the next appearance of the beast. Whilst I could keep dodging him using magic for hours, Ganondorf was pumped up with even more intense magic and Link would inevitably tire rapidly. And being on the defensive wasn't helping Link steady himself to try the merger again. I heard the beast appear behind me; without time to push Link aside I grabbed his shoulder and made us both disappear. When we retook our forms, Link collapsed to his hands, panting.

"Don't do that…" he whined.

"If you want tusk holes where your lungs were, I won't!" I retorted.

"This isn't going to do anything…" Link panted. "We need to fight him!"

"Agreed. I'll watch for him. You get ready!"

Link went for the sword, still unsteady from being rendered into particles. I felt out for the beast, sweeping my arm around until I felt the concentrated power. "There!"

Link whirled around to face the emerging beast, pushing me aside and raising the sword. "Just you and me!" He snarled, swinging for the beast.

The panting beast seemed to grin before disappearing again, leaving Link to try to regain his balance. "Frack!" He swore as he recovered from the powerful swing.

"The old heclic learns new tricks!" I growled, recovering the Twilight Sword and standing back-to-back with Link. "We need a plan! He won't keep playing with us for long!"

(~^~)

Why hadn't it worked?

Was it because I was so angry? I couldn't tell. Magic was so new to me. But if that was the reason… There was little I could do to quell the rage within me. This heclic had, time and again, murdered innocents, injured people, invoked magic above and beyond the likes Hyrule normally saw and, through it all, showed no remorse. As he rushed us again, only to vanish an instant before my sword would have split his skull open, I answered my own ages-old question. Pure evil did exist. I knew that now; so long as he existed, Ganondorf would always seek his own desires. He would feel nothing for his unspeakable actions. There was no civil discussion. No negotiation. It came down to him or the rest of us.

Just as well. Because I wanted to kill him in the most painful way imaginable. The memory of him lifting Midna's helmet as a trophy, no matter that the kill didn't happen, still ate at me. He brandished the Shadow with pride. He had spat in my face in that instant, and now he had made it truly personal. Not only that, but he had severed the connection to Midna's home. How would she ever get back now?

_WAIT!_

"Midna! Idea!" I exclaimed. Still back-to-back with her, I pointed the sword towards the shattered Void Stone. Lumps of rock scattered the area around it.

Midna seemed to catch the gesture, as I heard her cry in triumph. "It's reasons like this why I love you!" She said back.

"Get to the side!" I told her. "Leave him to me!"

I could feel her smirk sinisterly. We were on the same page again, our minds working as one. She knew exactly what I meant.

The feel of her back against mine vanished and I realised she'd transformed herself into particles again. The instant she was gone, I started turning, sword raised and ready for him. I was breathing heavily, my entire body taut and ready for the next charge. Come on, come on…

As I felt magic flow around me, I caught sight of the Great Beast just to my right. I spun immediately to face him. The Beast was utterly fixated on me, seemingly intent on running me down. But then its face twitched, as if wondering why I held my ground…

The block of stone that slammed into its head seemed to answer that thought.

Ganon stumbled, its tusked head catching the ground as it was sent sprawling by its own momentum. I dived and rolled out of the way as the creature crashed to a stop where I had just been. Around me, pieces of shattered stone smashed to the ground; just as I knew she would, Midna had picked them up and made them hover above us. I smirked with satisfaction as I saw that one of the largest pieces had hit Ganon.

I was already running towards the fallen beast, sword drawn and ready. Thankfully all the fragments had fallen, and I dived at the stunned creature, my sword biting into the flesh on its exposed belly.

As I stooped out of the lunge, several things occurred to me.

Firstly, there was incredible resistance. The Master Sword could slice through flesh like a knife through butter.

Next, that flesh was black. The impressive, glowing wound that had previously adorned the beast's belly was gone.

And the sword wasn't leaving the same white streaks it had left the last time I had attacked it. In fact, it had left a shallow cut that barely bled…

I lurched backwards instinctively as the great beast threw itself to its feet, growling and charging at me. The last time, it had howled in pain. This time it was stronger; it resisted the strikes I had inflicted on it.

It resisted the Blade of Evil's Bane…

Laughter suddenly flooded the chamber, and with the sound of a rippling cloak, the beast vanished and the Gerudo appeared, standing before the Mirror. I felt Midna come to my side; barely realising, I placed myself slightly before her, even though she stood taller than me.

The sorcerer chuckled. "You may have removed darkness from the worlds, Hero, but it is merged with my soul now. While nothing in comparison to the power I could have had if not for you, the power of darkness always overcomes the power of light. It seeks out light, consumes it, _corrupts _it into darkness… You are just a weak, simple boy, running after a pathetic creature. You will never understand the true nature of power." For good measure, he flashed his Triforce piece, faintly glowing.

"No…" I said quietly, wiling myself to control my rage. "I'll never understand power because I was never meant to wield it. But I do understand courage." I showed him my own glowing fragment. "Courage is doing _whatever_ it takes to destroy you! Call us what you will. I was put in this world to stop you. And whatever I have to do, I will do."

"What makes you believe you have the strength to fight me, Hylian?" The Gerudo sneered.

I gave Midna a sideways glance. "I have someone to fight for," I said firmly.

Ganondorf chuckled again. "What makes you believe your cause is so just? The two realms could be truly great if led by someone with the will and the mind to make the best of them! Why was I rewarded with such great power if it was not destiny that I use it to its potential?"

"The Goddesses couldn't destroy you," I fired at him. "They couldn't stop you without destroying the world. So they created me to bring an end to you. You were never meant to _touch_ the Triforce!"

"Ah… the Goddesses…" The sorcerer laughed darkly. He slowly paced side to side as he talked, regarding the both of us from different angles. "Why are you so quick to take every word they say as truth?"

"They created all of us!" I yelled at him.

"And the world in which we live. Can you not see it?" He chuckled. "Life is the Goddesses' game of chess and we are all their pawns. They move us through our entire lives. Every move carefully calculated to avoid bringing our lives into contact with their existence. Every move to end in darkness for the mortals. I say no more! If I have to surrender to darkness to win the game, I will! No longer can the Goddesses control me." He laughed darkly again. "To turn from the Goddesses is to know true freedom!"

"Your idea of freedom is death and suffering for others," I spat at him. "I am the Goddesses' knight, and I will make the move they intend me to make." I spun the sword. "Whatever it takes…" I hissed.

"Whatever it takes…" echoed a quiet voice behind me. I saw the glimmer of steel and knew Midna had raised her sword. "Whatever pieces we are, the Goddesses move us together," she whispered to me. "I'm in this with you."

"Ah, light and shadow, united against darkness," the warlock laughed. "Poetic, but what does it achieve?"

Magic was flowing again. Magic of equal strength in both of us. I knew now; I had been too angry, too willing to kill the Gerudo myself, and Midna hadn't been driven enough. We had to stand as equals before our threat.

"This," I snarled, allowing our swords to meet again.

Golden light again erupted around us; the indescribable sensation of merging swept over and through me. In moments, just like before, we stood tall before our dark adversary.

We raised our golden-black sword and shield, ready to fight.

Ganondorf only laughed. "You wish to make the fight more even? So be it." He gave a shallow, dark laugh. "This is going to get interesting."

* * *

Think that's the last loose end tied up - I wanted to clarify the situation with Orlon. I really think Zelda deserves to be with someone - I hope Orlon proves to be a wise choice for her :)  
A few more mind games here, but next chapter will be uncut, all-out action. This heclic has made so many lives hell, and with Midna and Link united... hoo boy... but will it be enough?  
Sorry that it could be a while before you all find out!  
Cheers!  
Gargravarr


	40. Chapter 35: Fall

First, let me say I am so, so sorry for not updating in so long! Those who I've talked to know why, and people who read my Tweets will have an idea. The true reason is that my parents came painfully close to separating TWICE in the space of about 4 months, which has caused me so much emotional torment and stress I don't know how I've coped with it all. Add in stress from internship searching and accomodation for next academic year and you get a rough idea about why I've been unable to get the next update out.  
Now, this update. I cannot thank Varanus enough for his help; it took a deep brainstorming session to put it together, as I've been reaping what I've sowed. This chapter proved VERY difficult to write because this is the culmination of everything I've set up so far. I had the original ending planned, but I also have to thank TheCuriousReader for her reviews as they really changed my interpretation of my own story. The new final arc branches almost completely from my original plans but should have much more meaning. So thank you very much Varanus and TCR - this chapter's dedicated to you two! :D  
My stress levels are back under control and I know how the final arc's going to play out; however life for me is very busy at present, so I don't know how much time I'll have to write. I'll try though; I owe you all the conclusion of Heroes and I really want to see it through.  
So, enough rambling, here it is - Heroes of Time Chapter 35, must be at least 2 months late, but enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 35  
Fall

(~*~)

It ate at me, the thought that they were still fighting him and that I stood on this balcony doing nothing to help.

Orlon stood beside me as we gazed across Hyrule.

It was recovering well, even without my hand in the affairs. And all of this was threatened by the Dark King, yet none were any the wiser. I saw innocent, oblivious people gather food, buy gifts, rush home to their families…

The future of our entire society had been removed from my hands and placed on the shoulders of Link and Midna. Chills swept my spine. I could barely stand it, not being in control.

A warm hand was placed gently on my shoulder, and I turned to see Orlon looking at me. "Zelda… I may not know Link as well as you, but… I believe it is enough to trust in him. He has performed extraordinary feats… borne the weight of countless lives without protest…"

I sighed, turning slightly away. My voice became heavy. "Link does not show the stress he is under. He can bottle his feelings, plough through his fears, but he is still Hylian. He has his limits, and he has reached them this past year." I sighed again. "We all did." Link, myself, and I would imagine Midna too.

"To know one's limits is hardly a bad thing," he tried to reassure.

"I know, but the power they battle with is limitless, and Ganondorf's limits are far in excess of Link's. The Dark King feels no respect or pity for any life bar his own. I fear Link will reach his limits before he is able to equal him."

Orlon fell silent and I could feel his gaze turn. I released a deep breath and followed him, staring towards the desert.

The desert where the future of Hyrule and beyond was being decided.

"So far away…" I whispered, gently placing my arm around Orlon's shoulder. "Many miles separate us and yet the battle could-"

NO!

My jaw fell and my body froze, panic sweeping through me.

Orlon gasped. "Oh holy Goddesses!" He cried.

No, this could not be good!

I couldn't take my eyes from the sight.

Miles away, deep in the desert, golden light had erupted into the darkening sky. A column of light stretching from the grounds into the skies, so powerful it could only be magical, and to be seen from here, it must have engulfed at least the ancient prison itself.

The prison where Link and Midna were confronting the Dark King.

"Oh no… oh no…" I whispered, feeling Orlon grab onto me out of fear. I grasped at him equally, praying to all heavens this could not be.

As the last of the golden flare faded away, I watched as clouds gathered over the prison. The event had occurred in silence, which had spread into the town below us. Everyone who could, had gathered to look toward the desert. No-one spoke a word for the longest time, until frantic murmurs and whispers swept through the crowd.

A few of the townsfolk turned to look to the castle; even fewer met eyes with me. I could feel their panicked stares, begging for answers.

But I had none to give.

Orlon's hand took mine and gave a squeeze. I gripped back, turning to meet his wide eyes. He blinked and drew a deep breath, before uttering a single word.

"Go."

The word sank into me for a few moments before I realised what he meant.

I had to get there, to discover what had happened.

To find out if anyone survived.

Still dressed in my torn blue suit, I grasped for the Triforce and turned.

_Link, Midna… please be okay…_

(~?~)

Link… Midna… who was who?

Whatever we were, we towered over the dark sorcerer, our gleaming golden blade raised to fight him while the Gerudo smiled darkly at us.

Our thoughts raced so quickly, magic coursing through our body. What were we? Flashes of Link's memories mixed with flickers of Midna's… It was as if we were no longer two into one form, but… a whole new being.

We spun our sword, the powerful blade passing fluidly through our hand.

_Swordmaster… that sounds like a good enough name for us._

As Link's focus latched onto our mind, our thoughts cleared. Mere instants had passed and our opponent had not even drawn his blade. We could feel the power of our united form, unrestricted magic flowing naturally through us. We were finally a match for him.

Ganondorf slowly drew his blade, whispering words we recognised as an ancient incantation towards the steel as he stood ready. At once, the steel darkened and lengthened, the short sword becoming as a black longsword. We could sense the powerful energy radiating from it.

The sorcerer tossed the black sword between his hands expertly, not even following the blade with his eyes. He possessed enough skill to match Link, that much was true, but now he could call upon his magic.

As we could call upon ours.

The Gerudo slowly shuffled his shoulders, bones popping into place as he hissed, satisfaction crossing his face. He locked eyes with ours. "And so… we begin…" He whispered menacingly.

We moved first, Link's knowledge of swordplay flooding through us instinctively as we performed a powerful jump strike. Our body seemed to weigh nothing and moved effortlessly; were the Gerudo to have remained in the same place, our attack would have floored him without question. Instead, our feet met sandy ground and our sword struck stone. We followed the rolling Gerudo and swung for him.

His sword met ours and our arms shook, dark energy rippling between the blades. We focused; surges of golden energy flooded our arms, mixing with shadow magic before it even left our body. Combined magic flowed through the sword to the point the weapons met, sparks of gold and black crackling around it as we both strained against the other.

The Gerudo's face was scrunched up in focus as he held a crouch, both hands forcing the sword towards us, and forcing magic into us. Midna's control of magic countered instantly, meeting the dark energy head-on. While Link directed the sword, Midna focused the power. We held that position for long moments, neither able to break through the other's defences, and neither willing to back down.

As the effort began to burn us, we saw an opening; the Gerudo's arm began to twitch, and Link directed our sword arm as Midna unleashed a small burst of power from our other hand. The ball of magic stung the Gerudo's face, distracting him just enough for us to swing the sword at a perfect angle, throwing our adversary to the ground.

The sorcerer was far faster than we expected; as we followed through to strike for him, he had rolled back to his feet. He threw out his arm and a rush of dark magic thundered towards us.

Link's reactions kicked in and our sword cleaved the energy in two; our magical body arched backwards fluidly to avoid the energy. Magic coursed through our arms and Midna shaped it, harnessing both the golden and the shadow energy to fling an intense blast of power back at our adversary as Link balanced our body, bringing us to stand as the sorcerer countered our attack, barely able to deflect the energy before it hit him. He was strong, but we were stronger. We had to be. The Goddesses had spoken of it; Link's memory of the encounter was vivid.

We were already lunging for a powerful strike; much to Link's expectation, the Gerudo began to fall into a roll, and we turned our lunge into a dive, twisting the sword to scrape along the ground before catching the sorcerer's leg. Sparks played around the wound as the blade cut through the cloth into the flesh, and the warlock growled as he rolled to face us, Link's instincts bringing our own legs out of reach of his sword just in time.

We hit the ground shoulder-first and rolled straight up to our feet, facing him again. Our eyes met with his, and seeing the hatred, the lust for our destruction, the magic surged. Midna toyed with it for a moment as Link spun the sword defensively, building up the energy as Ganondorf regained his feet. Just before he stood firm, Midna threw the energy from our hand.

A crackling ball of energy sped towards the Gerudo's feet, far too fast for him to evade, and exploded as it hit the ground; Ganondorf had jumped at the last moment, but the explosion was enough.

The dark sorcerer was sent reeling backwards, and we crouched, Link preparing a jump strike as soon as we could guess where he would land. An instant later, we flew into the air, the beautiful blade poised for a fatal strike.

Impossibly fast, almost before he even saw us, Ganondorf spun his own sword into ours, knocking the blade aside to strike the ground, and as we soared over him, hot pain surged through us; the dark blade had bitten into our ankle, but it didn't stop! Before we crashed into the sand, he'd severed our right foot completely!

The pain suddenly vanished, and as we tried to stand, we saw the severed foot explode into golden-black particles, each one rushing over to us and, with a flash of heat, rebuilding our foot. Link checked but found no blood.

Our body was completely magical. There was likely nothing physical about us.

Midna's giggle rang through the air, taking on an even more sinister ring than usual as we bore down on our opponent once more. The Gerudo appeared astonished at our recovery, but he held out his hand at us.

We grunted in pain, sent sprawling by a blast of energy from the sorcerer's hand. Our golden body scraped against the ground but did not bleed, and we were back up in an instant. The sorcerer, however, was recovering from the force of his own attack, and before he could recover, we sent a sphere of energy towards him.

Again he raised his palm to our attack and we felt a rush of air; he must have used the same enchantment again, but the magic would not be discouraged. It struck true on the Gerudo's hand and he buckled, dropping his sword as he clutched his hand. Thin wisps of smoke rose from his fingers.

We threw the sword into the ground and drew our hands together, Midna's skill and knowledge chanting together a ball of powerful energy, rushing with gold and black. As quickly as we could we threw it at our enemy.

Ganondorf quickly recovered, the smoke vanishing, and he raised his other hand. This time, a blast of red light rushed from his palm into the bolt we had cast, striking it and shattering it to fragments. However, the pieces kept moving, and Ganondorf was forced to cast the same magic several more times to evade them and more, as we pulled together more of our magic and cast it towards him, desperate for a strike.

One of the pieces skimmed his waist and he faltered; as his hand flew to his hip, we saw his clothes rip, but there was no blood. Hissing our anger we wrenched the sword from the ground and lunged for him.

Without warning, the black blade on the ground leapt into the Gerudo's free hand to block our strike, but we saw his hand slightly waver.

He was weakening, very slowly, but we were a match for him, and it was beginning to tax him.

His face quickly set and he drew the sword slightly towards him before lashing out, throwing us backwards. Link knew the actions and quickly caught us, our body landing gracefully and poised.

We landed just in time to realise a small bolt of darkness, its form so hard to make out, was rushing towards us, and though we threw up our hands and sword, the energy seemed to pass straight through our hands straight into our chest. We felt it, a wash of cold that passed straight through us and felt like it left our body.

Our body suddenly twitched.

Whatever it was that hit us felt like no more than cold water at first, but suddenly became physical, like a scratch, a fingernail being dragged through our chest, and suddenly something within us began to burn. Like a shard of glass lodged in our chest, pain began to stab at us and we faltered, leaning on the sword for support, but the burning didn't cease. It grew, and we felt darkness spread out.

Dark magic…

Our body convulsed violently, and suddenly we felt our merged power begin to break. Light and shadow, moments ago so tightly merged, suddenly parted, and as though we were cloth being ripped, our magical body began to fall apart, our vision fading to black…

(*)

(~^~)

My head was spinning, so much that I had to haul my eyes open. I had never felt so drained. I was exhausted, and our bitter failure wasn't helping.

_What had gone wrong?_

I knew without even thinking that I was myself again, that the union had failed, but I had no idea why. All I could remember was feeling pain and then being torn apart.

As I regained control of myself, I saw my breath whipping up torrents of sand; I was facing the ground, whole and unhurt. I quickly threw myself up from the sandy prison floor. I was a little unsteady, but I wasn't going to fall. I swept my eyes over the area I faced, desperate to understand what had come to pass.

Several feet before me I saw Ganondorf strewn across the scattered rocks of the Void Stone, grunting and growling like a wounded animal as he tried to get up. He had been weakened, but I wasn't taking my chances. Light and Shadow had to work together to destroy him.

I whipped around, my eyes widening when I saw my fallen princess. I shot over to her, checking for breathing, the urge to panic suppressed by my gift.

She was alive and steady, and appeared unhurt, but she was completely unconscious. No amount of shaking her shoulders nor crying her name would wake her.

_Darkness… I remember darkness within us… Some kind of dark magic, maybe her curse?_ As the thoughts crossed my mind I kept trying to rouse her, but she remained out cold. _Please be okay, Midna! Please!_

Rock bounced against rock behind me and I slowly turned, rising to face the black-robed sorcerer. He was panting, seemingly drained as much as I was, but wore a determined look, and that unmistakable sneer.

"You have… improved, Hero…" He growled. "But your efforts are for nothing. You still cannot kill me!" He gave a single chuckle. "Even the combined magic of yourself and your freak failed. Now…" He drew his sword, the dark blade pointed towards me. "Let us end this here. One on one, without _that_," he spat, indicating Midna. My face twisted. "I want a witness to see Hyrule's precious Hero fall forever!"

"If I face you…" I said solemnly. "You let her live, and send her home."

The sorcerer laughed. "We are beyond games and deals, Hero. This is to the death. If your precious freak stays out of it, I may just allow her to live, but once you fall, she is on her own. Now," he spun his sword, his face viciously focused. "Fight me."

The sword…

Where was my sword?

I searched frantically for it, finally seeing the hilt extended between two small pieces of stone. I lunged and grabbed it.

My jaw dropped.

This wasn't the Master Sword.

As I watched the swirling gold and black, I realised I held the merged blade of the Swordmaster.

_Impossible. We had to merge together to use this blade!_

I distantly spun it, feeling the Master Sword's influence on the blade as it moved fluidly through my fingers. It may have been longer than the Master Sword, but it was no heavier. And when I moved it, there was energy in its motions, like it moved with its own power, and I was simply directing it.

_Every time before, the blades were separate. They only merged when we did. Why now? We separated completely! Holy Goddesses, help me! I need guidance!_

As I rose from the ground to oppose the amused sorcerer, I prayed relentlessly. This merged blade meant something. I needed to know…

Ganondorf seemed interested in the blade as well, but he swung for me regardless; as I blocked his swing, I noted how the merged blade almost seemed to move of its own accord. All I had done was move the sword towards Ganondorf's, and it had struck with more force than I thought I possessed. The ring of steel on steel held an eerie overtone, somewhere between the Master Sword's haunting battle cry and the sound of Midna's Twili magic. And the point the blades met crackled intensely with sparks; gold and black particles burst from the point and disappeared into the air.

Much to my surprise, though Ganondorf pushed against my sword with all his might, I wasn't straining myself not to fall. The merged sword seemed to hold itself in the air, giving me the opportunity to kick out at Ganondorf's knee with all my strength.

The Gerudo buckled under my kick but held his sword up, grunting with pain. With little effort, I pulled my sword away and swung around my back, the sword almost jumping into my right hand and following the path I envisioned, cutting off a chunk of the Gerudo's hair as he ducked just in time. Before he could rush me, I backflipped out of reach, my mind struggling to understand how I was fighting. It was as if the sword was doing the fighting, and I was just helping it. Every twitch of my hand seemed to point the sword towards the sorcerer, but as I tossed it back into my left hand, it flew through the air like a normal sword. The moment it hit my hand, though, it seemed to follow the Gerudo.

As Ganondorf examined his head, snarling when he realised some hair was missing, I couldn't laugh. I was afraid and confused; the way this sword seemed to seek out my enemy scared me, and I couldn't work out why I wasn't holding the Master Sword again.

With what happened next, I was glad to be out of Ganondorf's reach.

My ears twitched by themselves, and in the quiet air of the abandoned prison, I heard a near-silent voice.

'_Unite light and shadow…'_

Just four words, spoken with a haunting resonance that told me without doubt that they were not of mortal origin. I snapped out of the trance I had entered to see Ganondorf charging for me, his face otherwise unchanged, and I knew then, as I dived out of the way, that I alone had heard those words. Distantly I wondered for a moment why I was so quick to accept them as real; given that I had heard Zelda's thoughts in my mind not long ago, I knew I wasn't imagining them.

Which left only one explanation.

Just like Falrue's experience.

_The Goddesses had spoken to me…_

But… that meant… _'Unite light and shadow?'_

_We'd just done that and failed!_

I wasn't in a state to fight back as thoughts raced through my mind; on instinct, I dodged and countered the Gerudo's blows, evading him whilst I tried to decode those words.

_Unite light and shadow… unite light and shadow…_

'_You must unite light and shadow in the place where right went wrong…'_

'…_must unite light and shadow in the place…'_

'_You…'_

I felt a chill sweep over me, and I backflipped; the air buzzed as the Gerudo's blade sliced it before me.

_I'd been the one… each time before… I'd been the one to perform the union…_

My heart was beating faster as I rolled further backwards from the sorcerer, giving myself time to think.

_The place where right went wrong…_ I shook my head. There were two meanings to that phrase. Things went wrong here _for me_ when Midna shattered the Mirror. But what else happened here?

_Ganondorf's failed execution!_

Right here! The same place! Nayru's riddle had two meanings! But wait… that had to mean…

"Frack…" I whispered distantly.

We'd misinterpreted the riddle. Every time, I'd been the constant. The one to enact the union. And fundamentally, it was magic I had united every time.

That's all Nayru meant… In Falrue's history, the union didn't kill Azréalus… But when I united light and shadow, that's when things worked.

_That's when wrong went right…_

So… I had to do it again. But… how?

The sword…

I could feel it, just like the Master Sword… distant whispers, ever-so-faint suggestions. The Master Sword breathed guidance to me. But this sword was different.

All it whispered was _'Trust me…'_

Mere instants had passed when I looked up to see Ganondorf bearing down on me, closing the distance I had put between us. His eyes flashed a murderous red that set my face in anger. All he wanted to do was kill. Now that I understood what I was meant to do, I wanted only to change that.

The sword twitched in my hand and I reacted, bringing my arm up. Instantly, the sword aligned itself to perfectly block Ganondorf's swing. Sparks flew as the sorcerer drew back and swung again, each time going for my head or my chest, whichever I left least guarded.

And each time, a tiny flick of my wrist in the right direction sent the sword to block the blade. It took almost no effort.

_The united magic of light and shadow is more powerful than even the sum of the two… it has no real limit…_

Blow after blow rained down on me from my opponent yet I managed to stand my ground. Before, I had no chance… I'd had to keep moving. A block would have broken my arm. But now… now I felt strength like never before. If it had to be me to defeat him, I had to strike, and I felt like I could. If I could stand here and deflect hit after hit without flinching…

As he pulled back for another strike I lunged.

It scared me how fast I moved. The sword dragged me along, shooting towards the Gerudo's neck, only to be denied by a last-moment sideswipe by his sword. I steadied myself and swung again, amazed at how fast I was able to bring the sword at him, and how easy I recovered from his blocks. In an instant, I had put the Gerudo on the defensive. Now his eyes were wide as his face contorted in concentration; I wasn't looking for gaps to lunge at just his neck or chest, but any opening to inflict a wound. Slowly, as my sword moved almost as fast as his eyes could, I started to wear down the Gerudo's defence. He was breathing heavily as his Triforce glowed. Perhaps he drew his strength from it; I didn't know. All I could tell was that his movements were slowing, and when he blocked a strike to his shoulder I swung for his right leg, and he didn't move fast enough.

"Gah!" The sorcerer roared, flinching back in pain. I backflipped from his reach before he could lash out at me, quickly observing the damage I had done.

Ganondorf clutched at his thigh, which was bleeding readily. With astonishment, I saw the wound glowing with golden energy.

_Just like the wound to his abdomen!_

The twin swords were the key all along, I just had to be only one to wield them.

The honourable side of me would have waited until Ganondorf had regained a steady stance before attacking him again, but having faced enough trials already and knowing how my blind belief in honour could get me killed, I lunged straight for the honourless sorcerer before he could stand.

I had anticipated his move correctly; he saw my strike for his neck and brought up his sword to block, but I counted on the speed with which the merged sword moved and twisted it mid-strike, dragging it along the Gerudo's blade as I spun in the air. The merged sword skated off the end of the dark sword and, with me now in the right position, bit deep into the flesh of his back, tearing through his cape and armour. As I landed I pulled the sword with me, cutting a wound some inches long that glowed with golden energy.

The sorcerer screamed in pain and his Triforce flashed as his arms flailed; I had already rolled out of the way, kicking up for a finishing strike. I launched myself into the air as the seemingly-paralysed Gerudo reached desperately for his back wound…

Maybe he sensed my presence, maybe it was due to the pain, but he moved at the last instant, and instead of driving through his ribcage, the sword bit through his left shoulder, sliding straight through. My momentum was too great; I hadn't intended to recover the sword from the strike, and as the crouching sorcerer buckled under my sword, I threw myself up and over him, landing neatly on my feet in front of him. I spun around instantly, and my jaw dropped.

Ganondorf remained in his crouch, his face contorted in agony. The golden-black blade was up to its hilt in his shoulder, and to my astonishment had dug itself into the stone at the Gerudo's feet. Crimson blood leaked from the wound, dripping to the ground below.

I suddenly realised I was vulnerable. All that needed to happen now was for Ganondorf to recover my sword and come at me again, and in fear I watched his right hand grasp for the blade. My feet wouldn't move; something stopped me from running.

Fear?

No… something told me to stay and watch…

My eyes popped wide.

As Ganondorf's hand touched the swirling blade, black smoke rose from it and the sorcerer's face twisted further. A moment later he cried out in agony and snatched his hand away as though burned. As I watched in awe, I realised the smoke rose from his hand.

_He can't touch the sword!_

And as he tried to stand, the sword caught against the ground, seemingly stuck. I didn't think I'd driven it into him with enough force to pierce the rock! But given how the sword seemed to multiply my strikes, it seemed possible.

Ganondorf's breaths were heavy and threatening to break with cries of pain as he tried desperately to rise; the sword shook, chips of stone moving around the point it had dug into the ground. It wouldn't hold him for long. He looked up at me, and I felt a familiar burning rise in my chest.

That look was the same as Azréalus had given me. Unrelenting anger, a desire to kill me by any means necessary, and I felt my anger rise, my hands balling into fists. I couldn't remember breathing so heavily whilst still standing, and it wasn't just from the effort of my attacks. Rage burned through me as I stared at the immobilised Gerudo. His face twitched in pain but he returned a death glare of his own. If he managed to work the sword free, I knew he wouldn't hold back.

It was up to me.

All along it was all about me. I just chose not to believe it.

I was the only one who could end it.

The magic welled within me, that familiar golden energy… wait, it had changed… It felt… white now… pure light magic… untouched by the Triforce… The Triforce had clouded it, covered it up to focus it, as if waiting until I was ready.

It was more powerful than I ever thought possible. As the relic's burning of my hand ceased, I felt my blood grow hot.

It was my natural power, the gift granted to me as a Hylian, slowly roused until I was ready to command it…

The real power of light.

And if I could unite it with shadow, it could destroy darkness forever.

As if waiting for those thoughts, I felt shadow magic stir. Hopefully it meant Midna was waking up!

I knew as soon as I felt my hair move – the Shadows…

All four surrounded me, the helmet already lowering onto my head. My mind was swimming with thoughts, I couldn't focus… Either fear or rage, or a mix of both, clouded my mind. What was happening was beyond my understanding. I had almost no idea why events were playing out like this. I was being guided by a force I couldn't grasp. Thoughts appeared in my mind at just the right moment, and it scared me.

As the helmet settled onto my head, it whispered in my mind, '_You know what to do, Hero. Serve the Twili, and serve the Light. Destroy the Darkness.'_

_Unite light and shadow. Destroy darkness._

I knew what I had to do, but only just. It stretched the limits of what I could understand, but I had pieced together what the Goddesses wished of me.

And I would need the Sword.

Every time before, I had used the Master Sword, but now I had two problems – the first was that the merged sword held my adversary to the ground, and whilst I had no doubt he would eventually free himself, it gave me precious thinking time.

Second, the Master Sword and the Twilight blade were one. I had no idea how to separate them… Would it work with the merged sword? I had to try.

There was only one approach to this. With the Shadow's power, I could sense Midna, still out cold. I was still on my own. The final fight, the deciding moment, was always up to me, and me alone. And I would have to be fast.

I would have a moment, and no more, to land the final blow. I prayed this was right.

I leapt.

The Gerudo's eyes widened as he saw me flying towards me and I spun, my short flight carefully calculated, and taking advantage of the sorcerer's immobility, I landed on his shoulders. Crouching as I did, I wrapped both hands around the sword's hilt and leapt again, kicking against my enemy and dragging the sword with me.

The blade slid unrestricted from Ganondorf's shoulder and I landed as I expected, rolling around to face him.

Just as I thought, the instant he was free, he had risen. Tearing his sword from the ground he met eyes with me, and his instantly went wide.

I hadn't hesitated.

I wanted this to end, here and now.

And as soon as I had turned I had lunged at my nemesis, the merged sword aligned for a single strike.

There was only one strike I wanted to make – the only one I felt _wouldn't_ fail.

For the heart.

My hatred flowing freely, the image of a living Gerudo replaced only by an inhuman monster, I felt time around me slow. I saw every single movement Ganondorf made as he came up to face me, how his eyes widened in shock, and perhaps fear, the feeble attempt to bring his blade between us.

All in vain.

With a clean snick, the merged sword plunged between his ribs, knocking him backwards into the ground. I didn't let go, and I felt the steel dig deep into the stone. The wound began to glow white, and when I steadied myself, I found myself meeting eyes with him.

He was still glowering, his eyes totally focused on me. He was definitely still alive.

_How could he still live?_

Had I missed his heart?

Or perhaps… he didn't have one…

As smoke rose from his wound, the sorcerer gave a pained chuckle, his face twisting to a smirk. Again he tried to grip the sword but snatched back his hands as though burned.

Was he dying? I couldn't tell!

The glare in his eyes finally told me.

Whether it was by his fingertips or more, the sorcerer was clinging to life. It had to be magic keeping him alive.

That was it. _Unite light and shadow, destroy darkness… Destroy the magic behind it with united magic._

I didn't flinch when I felt the Shadows around me. The helmet had stayed on my head, and I felt a surge of that sinister magic as the pieces slammed together around me.

I drew a shuddering breath.

Shadow magic, light magic… both swirled within me. I focused, remembering how it had felt when Midna had cast the energy when we were one, and suddenly I felt the same grip on the power, as if I was shaping it with invisible hands, long before it left my body. I pressed the magics together, and they slid into each other. Light and shadow magic, merged as one, flowed within me, building higher and higher.

My hands began to shake on the sword, and I saw the Gerudo's face twitch with anticipation.

_This has to kill him. It has to… it HAS to!_

My entire body was shaking now, every muscle twitching as I felt the power build. Everything the Shadows had to give, all the white magic I had been using all along, all fused into one colourless power that burned within me, growing hotter and hotter until I felt pain. My blood felt like it was boiling, and I struggled not to yell out. I was panting hard, desperate to hang on. I had to give it my all… It had to be everything, all the magic I could muster.

My hands felt like they were on fire, and a cry of pain broke from me.

"This… will kill you… you know that…" I heard Ganondorf weakly say, his face a mix of expressions. Rage, uncertainty… fear?

I fixed my gaze on him, trying to express what I felt. "I was cre… created to kill you… This has to…" My voice faltered, my body gasping for breath, but I had one more thing to say. "Light… will never… surrender to… to darkness…!"

The fire within me was so hot my skin was threatening to catch fire, and I couldn't hold the magic back any longer. I tightened my grip even further on the sword and let go, forcing all the magic into the sword.

As it swept down my arms I felt as if it were burning oil flowing, and I found myself screaming in pain, but suddenly a golden glow blossomed from the sword.

Golden light spilled out around us, glowing brighter and brighter, and suddenly a rush of light exploded from the sword. Ganondorf's head snapped back and he seemed to suppress a yell, but not for long.

A scream of agony broke from the sorcerer as the golden glow wrapped around him, and I saw something that scared me.

It looked like… like Twili particles, rising from Ganondorf's body and for an instant I feared he was trying to warp, but then I saw the black squares weren't square at all, but misshapen… all different…

I tried desperately to focus and finally saw.

The black skin on the Gerudo's hands was peeling away, shredded in the air. No blood appeared, nor even any bone… his hands were falling apart, tiny pieces being carried on golden air into nothing, like black sand swept away by wind.

As the sorcerer's yell rose louder, his face began to surrender too. I held on desperately, knowing this would have to be complete or it would fail, no matter how much the power within me burned, and I kept the magic flowing.

Moments passed as the Gerudo's body slowly collapsed into the swirling magic, his scream growing louder and louder, becoming unbearable…

Silence.

The scream ceased.

I looked down to see what appeared to be black power swirling within the remains of the torn cloak.

It was done.

I nearly collapsed, willing the magic to break apart.

No…

My hands were stuck to the sword. I couldn't release them… and the magic was still flowing!

Panic gripped me, and the magic surged hotter. It was burning me, my body seeming to glow hot, and it was becoming unbearable.

I cried out, desperate for it to stop. But it just kept building. The magic swirled, so hot, fiery oil flowing through me until I thought I would burn.

My cry became a scream as I tried to get a hold of the energy and get rid of it. I couldn't stop the burning, I couldn't stop it. It was so hot, so painful, and suddenly…

"ARRRRRGH!"

With that, the power broke.

Gold exploded from the sword, a blinding light that erupted all around me. It threw my hands from the blade, and as I fell towards the ground, I saw the sand glow in its path, stone changing shape as if under heat, and I felt my grip on the world slowly fade, numbing the pain.

As I came closer to the ground, I thought only one thing.

_Holy Goddesses, please protect Midna…_

(*)_  
_

Fire.

Burning.

Everything burned through the darkness.

My body screamed as I felt myself awaken, white-hot knives piercing everywhere I could imagine. There was no single pain; it encompassed me entirely. I could barely breathe, the pain was so intense. Crying out was worthless; there was no sound I could make to convey it.

Gasping for breath, each one taking more and more out of my exhausted body, I screamed at myself to lift my head. Slowly I did, cracking open my stinging eyes to try and see. Everything was so blurry… Focusing was so hard…

But colour was all I needed. Blue and orange slowly stood out.

_Midna…_

She had to be okay. She just had to.

Because I knew. I knew now that this was how it had to be. The design, all along. And as I forced myself over to her, every move feeling like I was ripping myself to shreds, I confronted my worst fears.

The Goddesses said I was Ganondorf's contrast… perfectly matched, perfectly countered. Equal yet opposite. And I knew, deep down, when they told me, I knew I would face him again.

We were perfectly equal in life.

Such equality meant we would doubtless share death.

His own words were true.

At the back of my mind, I'd known it all along. Light and shadow would destroy darkness. That's all the riddle said. There was never anything about the light surviving.

My purpose had been fulfilled.

It was time.

My will failed me and my aching arms collapsed. My fingers clenched against the pain and finally sobs broke from me. I couldn't hold them back. But they weren't tears of pain. They were tears for what could have been.

Danger had been part of my life for so long I had to accept the end was inevitable, unavoidable. When my time came I would know, and there would be no fighting. But knowing I had touched the lives of others, and that I would leave them… leave so much unsaid, so much undone…

My vision was so cloudy… exhaustion and pain coupled with freely-flowing tears… but I slowly made out movement.

Blue and orange rose up from the ground.

Even through the pain I felt a ray of hope.

_Thank you Goddesses… Midna's okay…_

Orange and blue were joined by amber and red… those fierce, burning eyes met my own and, even though the blur, I could see the fear.

Seeing me like this… why did she have to? I couldn't bear to see her cry, and I faintly heard her scream my name. So distant…

In an instant she stood over me, her eyes barely shaped through the blur my eyes granted me. I guessed it was enough that my body had held together this long… to see her one last time as she frantically pulled me into her arms. Tears fell from her eyes but I couldn't feel them.

I couldn't feel anything, I realised. I was numb to the world. Slowly I realised I could feel one thing, and one thing alone. Deep within me.

Darkness.

Black stirred within me, growing and spreading.

This was it. The last of the darkness would be destroyed with me.

Still barely able to breathe, I thought about all I had left unsaid. So much I wanted to tell Midna… there was just no time…

The last few grains of sand, black as coal, were falling from my hourglass. So few were left, and I could feel the last threads of my life-force wear thin. My light was almost gone, and yet I wasn't scared. As the weave of light within me slowly unravelled, I felt… comfort… as if, as a final act, the light was holding my hand warmly, whispering soothing words as it faded.

And I smiled.

Despite all the pain, I actually smiled.

I didn't want Midna to cling to me, to try everything and fail. I was ready, I accepted this. It was the way it had to be – she had a life without me, my life was nothing without her.

And maybe some day… _perfect_…

I managed to claw together one last breath deep enough to whisper a few words.

(~+~)

LINK! NO!

No, why hadn't I been there for him?

The poor boy I held in my arms… he'd given up everything and I had slept?

"No…! Link, please!" I begged, tears falling like rain from my eyes onto his face. "Please, stay with me!"

My heart was cracking as I heard and felt him draw rattling breaths. I had to help him!

I summoned the Shadows, but they did not answer. The helmet was inches from where Link lay, the ground around it as smooth as glass; the walls of the chamber had been reduced to rubble by whatever he had done. But the Shadows… they were drained! No matter how much I called to them, they would not move!

_What did he do?_

I reached into his struggling body with my own powers, searching him for his injuries. I gasped.

_No… oh Goddesses no… this is awful!_

From the outside, Link seemed whole, but through the magic I could feel more. I felt scars, deep within his body. Everything inside him had been burned by whatever had happened. Magic had scorched him, blistering him from the inside out.

He had to be in agony, and it was killing him.

Right before me, he was dying.

And his injuries were beyond my ability to help him.

No matter how much I focused, nothing happened. The scars were too deep for my power to even touch them.

I was crying openly now. My love was dying and there was nothing I could do. I couldn't even dull the pain and let him pass peacefully. I didn't want him to pass at all!

But as I stared into his shimmering eyes, my heart wrenched.

Link smiled.

Pain played all over his face and deep in his eyes, but he smiled.

I cried out desperately, willing it not to be true. I knew only one reason why someone in so much agony would smile.

He knew there was no hope… and he knew what would come to pass. He had accepted it.

"No, please Link, no…" I whispered to him, grasping desperately at his hand. "Please don't leave me… We won… everything we fought for… you can't die for it!" It was desperate, but I knew it was in vain.

Slowly I heard Link draw a deeper breath. So much effort… _No, just hang on! Don't!_

But I knew why. And I didn't want to hear.

From those smiling lips came three words. Three words so quiet, so strained, I knew they would be his last.

Even as the thought broke my heart, I couldn't cry. My sobs stopped just for a moment, so I could hear his final words. _Not yet! Please, not yet!_

But they came, so quietly and slowly. The Hero gently whispered, "I'll… find… y…you…"

As the last word… his last word… gently faded, his lips twitched in a final smile. As I knelt, helpless, with Link in my lap, I clenched his hand as tightly as I could, as if this gesture would hold him with me. I never wanted to let him go… I just couldn't…

But it would not be so.

My love… my hero… drew a few rattling breaths as his body convulsed, his head twitching sickeningly before his chest froze. The air around us fell utterly silent. And as I watched, Link's eyes…

Shivers swept through me, and my heart split and shattered.

The lively blue slowly faded. Those eyes, those sapphires that sparkled with life and energy… they fell dark… they dulled to an empty grey.

My hero's body finally released its final breath and fell still.

Link…

He was gone.

* * *

On that note, I have nothing really to say. Drop me a review with your thoughts. Also, there's a poll on my profile, and I would love to see what people think should happen next.  
Ciao,  
Gargravarr


	41. Chapter 36: Fragments

Well, this was tough! Primarily, I'm currently in France and have had to use my phone as a modem to get my laptop online cos I don't have internet access here - geek? Yup. Secondly, the chapter itself - I started an internship this month and it's proven to be _incredibly_ draining. Putting myself in a writing mood has become harder but it's not impossible; just takes me a little longer, and occasionally I need a little bit of help. To this end, Varanus probably deserves at least half the credit for this chapter; without someone to proof-read my work or bounce ideas off, Heroes would have ground to a halt months ago. Thanks!  
I've tried my hardest to reply to all reviews I received for the last chapter, and I really appreciate the votes in the poll; in fact they really surprised me, especially how few extreme votes I got! I feel kinda honoured people were prepared to read either way, and I hope this chapter delivers!  
Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 36  
Fragments

Everything was cold and silent. It felt like I knelt in the centre of an endless wasteland – nothing around me. Only openness… only emptiness…

It truly was all over.

All of it.

Everything we'd fought for.

Everything he'd died for.

I couldn't take my eyes off his face, my tears held back as I distantly raised my hand, drawing his empty eyes closed.

He was still warm, and I held him like a sleeping child, pleading and begging him to rouse. _Please Link… you can't be…_

An eternity passed as I held Link's body in my arms. I couldn't let go. I wouldn't. It just… It just wasn't possible… He couldn't pass! He just couldn't! He was the Hero!

Or was he truly just the Hero… disposable? Chosen for one purpose, and discarded when that purpose was fulfilled?

The floodgates within me broke and my tears flowed again. My grief rained over him, as if the falling tears might bring him back to me, but they didn't. As I held him, I felt the warmth of his body slowly fade.

He was gone. There was nothing left of him.

"_The Hero has passed…_" A voice said softly. Choking on my sobs, I looked around for its source.

I could see no-one, but I knew the voice.

"Rauru…" I choked.

With that, the ghostly outline of the Sage of Light faded silently into view; his shape the familiar tall, old man. Joining Rauru were the other Sages, soundlessly merging into sight either side of him. As one, they bowed their heads, and even in their silence I could feel their sorrow.

My eyes found his still face again and I tried to hold back my tears. "Why… Just a boy… So much life still to live…" I whispered.

I sensed a presence, and I glanced to see Rauru's ghostly form float just beside me, also sadly observing Link. _"No predictions of the future can ever be accurate…" _He mused quietly. _"It was foreseen that the Hero of Light and Twilight would truly defeat the Dark King forever, but never was it seen that it would cost him his own life…"_

"What… what happened?" I whispered.

The Sage sighed. _"The Hero truly believed in the power, a power he could not control. It broke free of his grasp and struck down all in its wake."_

_Link… the union did this to you? The power that… brought us back together… tore us apart?_

"_Limitless power is beyond the scope of a mortal to wield,"_ Rauru whispered. _"The damage done could have been so much worse…"_

I sensed Rauru look around and followed his gaze. I could barely take in the sight.

The entire Chamber had been devastated; all around, stone had been reduced to rubble. The columns the Sages once descended from lay in ruins. And just across from the chamber's centre was a patch of sand turned smooth as glass, spread outwards from a spot that seemed normal. And as I realised that was the spot Link must have stood upon, a chill swept me as my eyes caught sight of a pile of red.

The Gerudo's robes.

"Is he…" I whispered, unable to speak further.

"_Everything that is, was, and ever will be about the Dark King has been ended," _Rauru replied. _"The Hero's actions brought about his destruction."_

_At what cost?_

"How did… How did I…" I tried, but my voice just would not hold. My head was spinning; so much spiralled through me so fast. And one thought stood in the centre of all the others, hitting me so hard it hurt. That the young man in my arms had given everything he had to give. And now he was gone.

"_Your survival was our doing, Princess,"_ Rauru finished for me.

My hand slowly wove its way through Link's soft hair. "How?" I replied without looking up. I couldn't draw my eyes away from him.

"_We protected you, Princess of Twilight. At the behest of the Goddesses, we shielded you from the Hero's power."_

Suddenly I found the power to look up. "The… the Goddesses told you… to save me and not him?"

Rauru bowed his head, sighing softly. _"The Hero's final wish is always granted. And nothing more did he wish for than for your safety."_

_My lone, noble wolf…_ I thought sadly.

I sniffled a few times as the Sage extended his hands, one gripping the other, over my Hero's body, his head gently bowed. So quietly he mumbled words I didn't recognised – a language more ancient than I knew. Gracefully, the other Sages joined in, their voices becoming an ethereal chant, and I realised Rauru was blessing Link. A few tears rolled down my cheeks. But wait… his words…

As the Sage of Light fell silent, lowering his arms and signalling the chanting to cease, I regarded him. "How can Link's… Link's actions…" I couldn't bring myself to say it. "How could they not be foreseen? He gave his life for the future of this land!"

Rauru turned to look at me, his barely-visible eyes heavy. _"For one whose life is beyond our scope, nothing can ever be certain of their future."_

For some moments I thought over his words. "Beyond… your scope? But… he's… he was… the Hero! Chosen by the Goddesses, a path laid for him!"

The Sage sighed. _"Forgive me, Princess, but it is not as simple as it appears."_

"Then…" I started, struggling to understand. The Gods and Goddesses knew all. It was their nature, just like their supreme power. "What do you speak of?"

"_The time has come for answers,"_ a new voice whispered softly. I found myself searching wildly for its source; it seemed to come from all around me, a haunting, ringing voice that was equally sweet and soft. A voice of power mixed with compassion. And it was female.

"Who said that?" I commanded the open air around me.

I noticed Rauru return to group with the other Sages, bowing their heads as one, but a moment later the air before me began to move, and I watched closely.

Slowly, right before me, a green-clothed figure faded into view. It was a slender woman, clothed in forest green highlighted with gold. Her skin seemed to glow golden yellow.

I stared at her as she fixed a soft gaze upon me. "Wh… who are you?" I choked.

"_I am Farore, the Goddess of Courage, Princess of Twilight,"_ she spoke gently.

My breaths froze, and my tears hitched against me in shock.

_One of the Golden Goddesses stood before me!_

Before I could even react, two more figures faded into view either side of Farore. To her left appeared a Goddess clothed in oceanic blue, and to her right, a final woman in flaming red.

I racked my memories for their names. They were ancient history to the Twili, cursed for our banishment. It was because of that act that we had the Gods of the Twilight Realm; no-one knew if they really existed, or if they were created out of spite. But finally I remembered.

"Nayru… and Din…" I whispered in shock, my skin tingling to be before them. I caught myself and lowered my head slowly in respect, only to find my eyes looking upon Link's empty face again. I couldn't stop my tears this time.

"_Princess…"_ I heard; from the direction, the voice was Din's. I couldn't look up. I just couldn't.

As I sobbed and sniffled, I heard Din continue, softly and peacefully. _"Let it be known that you do not grieve alone."_

Suddenly I felt anger. _That was the best they could do?_ My head snapped up and I glared at Din. What was said banished all fear from me. "You know what he sacrificed for you, right? He gave up his life in your name, and you let him die. This young boy died in agony to banish evil you once created. Have you no honour, or shame?" I didn't care that I spoke to the Goddesses themselves. They were responsible. They had stolen my love from me. They had condemned Link to death.

None of the Goddesses spoke for the longest time, and I began to fear their response. But there was nothing left for me now. Link was gone… let it come…

Quietly, I heard Nayru speak. _"Princess… Link's passing was not our design…"_

"And that's supposed to make it all better?" I shot, still staring at Link's vacant face, his expression of peace… "Bring him back then!"

Silence.

I looked up at the Goddesses; all three were regarding each other with sad faces. "Didn't you hear me? He fought and died in your name. He earned his life. Bring him back!" My anger broke into tears and I fell sobbing again.

"_We… cannot…"_ Din said quietly.

Her words pierced my heart like daggers. _How could there be no hope?_ "Why?" I cried.

Nayru continued. _"The design of life is that it is final. It can be extended, driven back, but death is the final, unchangeable act. Once the final word is written, the book cannot be changed. There is no way to restore those who have passed to life."_

"With all the undead we faced?" I fired at her.

"_New life can be given, but that which has passed cannot be restored. The passing is final,"_ Nayru replied softly.

"No…" I whispered, crying again. "How could you let him… he didn't deserve this…"

"_Your words are true,"_ Din said. _"The Hero's actions saved the lives of so many. His passing weighs heavily upon us-"_

The anger returned. _Didn't they get it?_ My head shot up. "I don't care!" I shouted, my voice unsteady. "You let him die after everything he did for you… after everything _you_ asked him to do! He served his purpose and you threw him away! What kind of Goddesses use people like this?"

Silence again.

Farore resumed. _"The passing of the Hero was not our design. Please understand, Princess – we did not wish for this to happen at all."_

"What?" I choked.

Nayru continued. _"The Dark King turned from us. His heart became so dark that we could no longer influence him. His life was beyond our control. To combat someone so strong, we had to create an equal. In Link, we did."_

Din took over. _"Link's life was not controlled by us. We could not directly interfere with him; to do so would undermine his freedom. We could influence those around him, shape him into the Hero we wished him to be, but never could we touch his life. He was never bound to us. All of his actions were his own."_

I looked down, into Link's peaceful face. _My Hero… did this to himself?_

"_It was the only way," _Farore pleaded. _"To face the Dark King, he had to believe we fought through him. It was the key to unlocking his true abilities. It was the only path to defeat the Dark King, but we could not step in to prevent his passing."_

_So… Link was always in control… he just believed he wasn't… _I slowly raised my hand to his head, stroking his rough blonde locks. Some heat had been trapped within, but even that was fading quickly now.

For long moments, I held him there, until the last of his warmth had gone. Until everything that was Link had vanished into the air. Still sobbing, I leant down and softly kissed his cold forehead. "Sleep peacefully, my Hero…" I whispered.

"_The Hero need not sleep yet,"_ Nayru whispered.

My gaze snapped up. "What?" I fired.

Din took over. _"This outcome was not our design, and should we choose, it will not hold. We may deny this outcome and try for another."_

I took a deep breath as their words sank in. "You mean… you could bring him back?"

"_No Princess, we cannot reverse death. The only way to restore Link to life would be to see that it did not leave him."_

My jaw slowly fell open. "How?"

Din gave me a knowing look. _"We cannot say, Princess. Your life is no longer in our control either."_

"What?" I fired.

"_The union of light and shadow has no bounds,"_ Nayru answered. _"It was enough to bless you, to remove our control from your life. You, like Link, are unbound by our design."_

"_Only you can know how to restore the Hero to life,"_ Din continued. Suddenly, she smiled. _"And this may help you."_

Suddenly I felt burning warmth. Searing heat coursed through my arms, but though intense, it didn't hurt me. I clenched my fingers against the sensation and suddenly the heat swept to my left hand. Golden energy pulsed, and as I looked upon my shaking hand, I froze.

Lines had appeared, black stains on my blue skin. Three lines, all joined, formed a shape on my hand, which slowly subdivided into a very familiar mark.

Three triangles, joined as one.

The top triangle slowly darkened.

_The Triforce of Power._

"No…" I whispered. This couldn't be. "No, no no…"

"_The Triforce is a powerful relic," _Nayru spoke. _"Only it can determine who to bond with. It has chosen you because you understand how to wield power, and you will use it safely."_

I stared at the mark, thinking over and over, _I carry a piece of the Triforce_. The golden energy faded and the lines on my hand darkened; against my skin, it was slightly harder to see, but it was there. Like a tattoo, etched permanently onto me.

"_The Dark King's heart was too full of hate for the bonding to be quickly severed after his death. But the Triforce is now yours. It is our blessing to you, a proof that light and shadow may once again unite."_

I took light breaths as I studied the lines, struggling to understand the true weight of what had happened, before turning back to the Goddesses. "Now what?"

"_We cannot say exactly what will happen, for in truth we do not know," _Nayru explained. I gave Her a questioning look. _"To know all would mean that all of our own actions be known, and our power worthless,"_ She continued._ "We can only know the present; the future is limitless."_

"_Though we cannot say for certain what must be done," _Din interjected, her tone that of someone directing the thoughts. _"Know that the Triforce is but one of the keys to a different future. You know what you must do, but know also that there can only be one chance. Once the events are set in motion, they will become part of our design, and we cannot change it."_

I drew a deep breath and gave each Goddess in turn a firm look. "I only need one chance. I won't fail; I won't let him pass." My voice, strained with emotion, suddenly found an edge of steel. I felt it within me, the determination, the idea that I had a chance…

Hope.

There was hope.

That's what I felt. The Goddesses had given me hope, and I would not fail.

"_Make good of this chance, Princess,"_ Din said with a slow nod, and at that, all three Goddesses faded from sight. I looked around just in time to see the mystic forms of the Sages disappear, and suddenly I was alone.

I was still holding Link's empty body, but as I stared at the Triforce burned onto my hand, I clenched my fist. "I won't let this happen to you Link…" I whispered to his tear-streaked face, his tunic soaked with my tears. I realised I was still holding his cold hand. A hand whose last grip was mine. I clenched it firmly one last time and kissed his forehead. "I love you, and I'll never let you go again." I sniffled, and finally willed myself to let go of his hand.

I supported his head and shoulders as I fished one thing from his tunic pocket. I knew I could save him, but I needed two things. I needed powerful magic, and I needed time. I had one of those. I just needed the second key. My hand slowly pulled out the only way I could get those precious minutes.

The Ocarina of Time.

Placing it in my pocket for a moment, I looked at Link one last time. So peaceful, so restful. But he was gone. He had lived a life of hardship and had been ripped from it so suddenly. I couldn't let it remain.

Slowly, and oh so carefully, I lifted Link's body from my lap. A few more tears broke free, but as I stared at his face, I knew I would hold him again. When I did, I would never let him go.

Steadying myself, I held the Ocarina, and placed it to my lips. I tried to remember the song Link had played to take us through time, but I couldn't. _The last key is the song…_

As I thought harder, I remembered telling Link about how magic was shaped by emotion, and right now every emotion within me screamed for Link to come back. So I did what Link always did; I made it up as I went along.

Drawing a breath, I began to blow into the Ocarina, hearing the instrument produce a whistling tone. I slowly moved my fingers around the shell, causing the note to change until I had an idea of the sounds I could make. I gathered my thoughts, drew as deep a breath as I could…

And let my feelings flow into the instrument.

As I played, the melody cold and haunting, I focused on Link. _All I need is a few minutes… just a few minutes before I woke up… a few before he did whatever he did…_

I played for a long time as I knelt beside my love's body, praying for a way to return to him. A wall of time separated the living from those passed, but I knew there was a way through it. I played harder, my broken heart flooding the area with a tragic song. Every note weighed heavier until the air was thick with sorrowful music, and suddenly I felt it begin. The world around me began to swim and blur, and I could feel the past call to me. I answered and let it take me; the Chamber around me, the sands, the stones, and finally the body of my love all faded away.

(~^~)

The scream ceased.

I looked down to see what appeared to be black power swirling within the remains of the torn cloak.

It was done.

I nearly collapsed, willing the magic to break apart.

No…

My hands were stuck to the sword. I couldn't release them… and the magic was still flowing!

Panic gripped me, and the magic surged hotter. It was burning me, my body seeming to glow hot, and it was becoming unbearable.

I cried out, desperate for it to stop. But it just kept building. The magic swirled, so hot, fiery oil flowing through me until I thought I would burn.

My cry became a scream as I tried to get a hold of the energy and get rid of it. I couldn't stop the burning, I couldn't stop it. It was so hot, so painful, and suddenly…

"ARRRRRGH!"

With that, the power broke.

Gold exploded from the sword, a blinding light that erupted all around me. It threw my hands from the blade, and as I fell towards the ground, I saw the sand glow in its path, stone changing shape as if under heat, and I felt my grip on the world slowly fade, numbing the pain.

As I came closer to the ground, I thought only one thing.

_Holy Goddesses, please protect-_

"Gotcha!"

…_Midna…?_

(~+~)

HE WAS ALIVE!

I held him carefully with my hair-hand as I thundered to his side. Precious seconds could cost me the chance I had been given.

I was still unsteady from the magic of the Ocarina, my feet falling heavily as I balanced myself. But I'd caught him! He was alive, I could feel him!

When the world had come back after my song of sorrow, I found myself crouched in the same place, unsteady and my vision blurred, but I'd seen him, my green-clothed Hero standing over the bundle of red. Judging by the size of the bundle, I guessed the robes were just as I had seen them in the future that no longer was – empty. The magic had destroyed Ganondorf.

The magic that could have killed us both.

Focusing was so difficult, but as I heard a panicked, pained scream from Link, my hand had burned. I sensed the golden magic flow through me, whispering warnings, and an instant before it happened, I realised I would bear witness to the surge of power that, in a future fading slowly, would be Link's end.

Link's scream rose and I could feel the magic, thick in the air. It stopped my breath, the thought of how much power would soon escape Link's grasp. Could I even survive it? Would the Sages protect me again?

No, I felt exposed, even vulnerable, but the magic of the relic flared. I grasped it, felt it flow around me. I trusted it, this divine power; that its whisperings were hints of what would come, and what I could do.

As I felt the most incredible rush of energy from Link, a stab of panic hit me. Golden energy, so intense it was blinding, flared from the blade he held.

Time around me slowed. I saw everything happen so gradually, how the light rippled from the sword into the air. And with that shot of fear, the magic of the Triforce took hold of me. The golden magic flowed over me, binding me tightly, coating my body.

It would protect me. I knew it would.

The wave of incredible light exploded outwards, rushing towards me. On instinct I raised my arms before my eyes, a move I knew was likely useless if the relic's power did not hold but it was all I could do.

I felt the heat speed towards me, and suddenly felt as if I were falling through heated water. The energy flowed all over me; I could feel its intensity, yet it could not touch me. A moment later it had gone and I lowered my arms, the blinding light faded, to see Link.

The sight chilled me. He had begun to fall, no longer in control, and likely on the verge of blacking out. I couldn't let him hit the ground, and I felt the magic surge again. As the holy light magic swept through my body I felt my natural magic strengthen, bringing back my abilities, and I threw out my hair-hand just in time to catch the fallen Hero.

"Link…" I cried as I dashed to his side.

Taking his limp, weakened body into my arms I checked him over. Though his body appeared whole, I knew what had occurred, how much damage the magic had done to him inside. He was barely awake, his eyes almost closed and his breathing alarmingly shallow. He didn't even seem to realise what had happened.

I placed my hand to his chest, feeling his heart beat slowly, faintly, beneath his breast. And as soon as I reached out with my magic, I felt the burns, the blistering and scarring within him. My own magic was still not enough to help him, but I knew what I had to do.

I had been granted this relic, the key to our enemy's long life, and now that its power had awakened, I could feel its abilities.

"Midna…" Came a strained whisper from my love's lips

I snapped my head up to see his eyes, distant and unfocused. I instantly took his hand in mine. "Link, I'm here. Stay with me! You're badly hurt but you'll be okay," I whispered to him, trying my best to reassure him. My words seemed to have an effect, as I felt the Triforce's magic roar.

In an instant I saw every mark within him, every deep scar that once killed him. The golden energy within me blossomed and I encouraged it, directing it towards the injuries.

The magic moved slowly, tentatively, as if unsure, but then all at once launched itself into Link's body. I felt Link buck under the rush of energy but I did not break the connection.

The magic circled the wounds, and I realised it wasn't healing him. Yet the scars were receding, the damage slowly vanishing…

I realised why.

Link possessed some degree of magic, and a limited ability to heal himself. Such a deep injury as what had occurred forced his body to try to heal itself using his own life-force, but the damage was too great.

I understood how Ganondorf kept his eternal life now. Every living being carried with them life energy that they used the longer they lived. Once it was gone, their life was over, like grains of sand falling through an hourglass. The Triforce of Power granted the user access to unlimited life energy, and the evil sorcerer used it to replenish his own life force as he lived, gaining immortality as long as he bore it.

That same energy flooded into Link, willing his body not to give up, that it could heal itself. I felt him take deeper breaths, his body twitching and shuddering. I held his hand tight, feeling his grip strengthen too. _Stay with me Link… You've never given up before, ever! Keep fighting!_

For long minutes the magic flowed. I felt the scars thin and fade, the damage healing on its own. The process weakened Link beyond measure, but the Triforce's power had become the source of his strength. He breathed deeply, gasping when the last traces of each scar were banished from his body. When the deepest scar, the one across his heart, was the last, Link curled up against me, grunting. I knew the feeling would be unpleasant and I held him tightly, whispering in his ear, "I've got you Link. I'll never let you fall."

Link gasped again and his hand squeezed mine tightly. His face contorted and I saw the fighting spirit return; his eyes slammed shut in determination, his breathing in short pants, Link whined but bore the pain, forcing himself to hold on. _That's it Link, it's nearly over! Please hold on, just a few more moments!_

It was so hard to watch Link go through this. He'd been through so much pain already, and to put him through more, even to save his life, hurt me. I knew I wouldn't forgive myself for putting him through this… I just had to save his life!

Link's grip became so tight it was nearly painful and his other hand balled into a fist. He groaned deeply, and I felt the final scar being coaxed out of him. The flesh was being remade slowly, carefully, and it would doubtless be hurting him badly. He started breathing hard, painful moans escaping him and his head flicked backwards and forwards. It was horrifying to watch.

"ARGH!" Link threw his head back and yelled, before falling silent.

"LINK!" I screamed, checking him. I couldn't risk breaking the connection, feeling the final wound knit itself together and vanish.

For a moment all was still. I held my breath, watching him for any sign.

And then I felt his heart beat.

His chest unfroze and began to heave. He began to gasp for air.

"Link…" I whispered, tears breaking my eyes.

As I watched, his limp form, his eyes flickered, and slowly slid open.

"LINK!" I cried. Feeling the magic of the Triforce break apart I took my hand from his chest and wrapped it around his back, supporting him as I placed my other hand behind his head, helping him look up.

Our eyes met, and I realised the look of pain had gone. As Link looked at me, I felt the warmth of his gaze, and the corners of his mouth slowly twitched into a weak smile.

"Midna…" He whispered, sounding completely exhausted.

"Link…" I breathed. He tried to sit up and I gently supported him, watching him in case he was still hurt. He seemed to be weak but whole, and I drew him into a tender hug.

"You saved me…" He whispered. I felt a few more tears break from me and soak into his tunic. "Thanks… You didn't let me fall…"

"I never could… We've been through too much together… I love you too much…" I whispered back, kissing his neck.

(~^~)

The aftermath of incredible pain always did bring about a strange calm for me. No matter how much noise was in the area, it always seemed dead and silent. So when the agony of the release of magic, coupled with whatever Midna had done to save me, finally subsided, I could feel the calm in the Chamber.

She'd saved me, I knew it. It was about all I could think; my head was swimming with odd thoughts and feelings. But whenever I thought back to what she'd done, through the strange, chilling pain, the feeling of freezing water calming the fires burning through me, I felt the darkness.

Something black moved within the wounds I carried, and I knew it was what Azréalus spoke of. If I surrendered to that blackness, it would have been the end of me. And I felt so weak, so dulled to the world, that I didn't know how to fight it.

But hearing Midna's words, I remembered my dream, and I knew I just had to hold on to her, that she could banish the darkness and restore my light.

And that's what I felt now. Not a trace of darkness within me, just beautiful light. I'd saved her life so many times, but this time she'd saved me; I knew now why Midna had changed when Zelda saved her. The feeling of being brought back from the brink, of feeling that darkness being sent back to where it came from… It was incredible.

"You saved me…" I breathed in her ear. "Thanks… You didn't let me fall…" I'd never been one to let my feelings be known; only to her had I ever lowered my guard, I felt emotion catch onto those words as I held her tight.

Hearing her reply and feeling her kiss my neck, the warmth of her lips, something I could possibly never have felt again… There weren't words to thank her for saving me.

"What actually happened?" She asked me.

I sighed. "I was the key, all along. I had to be the one to unite light and shadow, to wield the two swords…"

She seemed to think for a moment. "You mean… all this time… I was just being used, a way to get the sword?"

At that thought, I felt a smile break across my face. "Yeah, when you put it that way… Now where have I heard that before…?"

Midna laughed for a moment, then sighed. "I wish I hadn't been right, for once. I warned Zelda about the possibility of you losing control of your new powers…"

I chuckled. "Midna, you're always right, especially when you're not!"

"I guess even Heroes need saving sometimes," Midna whispered to me. "You're just too stubborn to admit it!"

I smiled, my eyes closed as I savoured our close contact.

"And another thing, why am I always the one who finds you, huh?" She chuckled.

What did she mean by that? "Maybe 'cos I'm just a lonely, lost wolf…" I replied.

I felt her grip on me tighten. "You're _my_ lost wolf, Link, and you never need be lonely again." She shuffled beside me and I drew back to see her tear-streaked eyes. "Just… promise me you'll never die on me again!"

"Again?" I questioned. Her lips shifted into a shallow version of her familiar grin, and I smiled back. Maybe she was playing with me. "I promise, Midna," I replied, tracing my hand along one of her arms wrapped around me. She released the hand's grip on me and laced her fingers with mine. "I love you."

"I'll never let you go again, my Hero," she whispered, and before I could even think through what she'd said, I felt myself melt as she pressed her lips to mine and we shared a powerful kiss.

(~*~)

"Dear Goddesses…" I whispered as I walked into the ancient prison.

Farore's Wind had brought me here; self-protection and summoning fire were one thing, but self-teleportation was possibly the hardest magic I knew. It was so difficult to move myself between two points; I needed a fixed point, something magical, to aim for. The warp portals were perfect in this respect; I couldn't see them, but I could feel them, dents and creases in the fabric of the world, and they were enough to guide me. Before, when Midna had left, I had used the same enchantment to bring Link and myself back to Hyrule, a move that had dangerously drained me, and ever since, I had practised. It was still too exhausting to use as anything more than an emergency move, but I was learning to recover faster every time.

This time, I had sent myself outside the prison; it was too risky to drop myself into the chamber, as I knew of the battle surely raging within it. Instead, I found myself in the shade of a mesa with the prison some distance away, but the late evening Sun was cooler, and when I recovered my strength, I had pushed on to the facility as fast as I could. The sand was still hot, but when my magic returned I was able to keep the heat at bay with the enchantments I'd learned over the past year.

And now I stood in the entranceway to the Arbiter's Grounds.

Or what was left of them.

True enough, the prison had long been abandoned and I knew it to already be crumbling, but versus the last time I had seen this place from the outside, there was _no_ way the damage I saw had occurred naturally.

Atop the ancient structure, the columns surrounding the Mirror Chamber had been levelled. The stone holding up the Chamber's floor was cracked and crumbling, and what appeared to be glass dripped over the edges like icicles in the desert.

_What… what happened?_

That's all I could think as I navigated the structure. From my suit I pulled one of the maps Link had given me, detailing every room of the prison. He'd told me he would never use it again, and knew I wished to piece together the scattered history of the land. Now, I could not thank him enough as I thundered along dusty corridors, dodging and leaping across patches of quicksand Link had marked on the map.

The trek to the roof gave me the chance to recover my magic, and my strict training in secret had given me enough stamina to be ready to fight. As I found the ascending column that would bring me up to the Mirror, I clenched my fists, breathing deeply; my powers responded, and I could feel the golden energy flowing through me, sparks crackling around my fingers. I was ready.

I stood atop the column and placed my hand to the ground. I felt the ancient mechanics within and willed them to awaken; with my eyes closed, I felt the gears begin to turn, slowly at first, but their speed slowly increased until I felt the column rise rapidly into the air, faster than the Sun into the morning sky, and I opened my eyes to watch the stone walls race past me. As I reached the top and ascended the final staircase into the Chamber, I paused. I recited half of every spell I knew, feeling the power begin to form every time, only to break and be re-used with the next half-chant. Magic coursed through my veins and I knew that if Ganondorf had been victorious, he would surely know my presence, but I was ready. I was more than ready. If it came to it, I would give my life to destroy him, for the future of my land. Should Link have fallen, I refused to allow his death to be in vain. If Ganondorf had survived he would fall by my hand, whatever it took.

My face set and my head held high, I banished my fears. I had faced him once, alone, and survived. Even if he held his full strength I felt confident in my abilities. I would do whatever I had to.

I would win.

I approached the entrance to the Chamber in complete silence, pressed close to the stone as I assessed the series of events. My ears listened intently for any sound as I came closer to viewing the Chamber in full, and as I neared the edge of the wall I heard something I did not expect.

Crying.

Those tears were not of any male; they were a woman's sobs, and they were not of sadness, but…

_Relief?_

_Could it be…?_

I slowly poked my head around the corner, my hands ready to snap up and cast the first of many attacks I knew.

My jaw fell.

The first thing I noticed was the pile of red on the ground; the more I looked, the more lines I saw until I realised it was a heap of red robes.

I knew those robes.

Shredded and torn beyond measure, their wearer was nowhere in sight.

My breathing sped up as I continued to twist around the wall, fear and hope mixing within me in a powerful rush of emotion.

The next thing I saw was a black and blue figure, its head covered with flaming orange hair, kneeling on the ground. Its back was toward me, and it held in its arms a third form.

Beyond the orange hair I caught sight of a shock of ashen-blonde, one of the blue figure's arms wrapped behind it. The black-clothed body quaked with occasional sobs.

"Link? Midna?" I whispered, scared to believe. Willing myself not to launch towards them, I checked the rest of the Chamber.

It was barren.

That left only one possibility.

"LINK! MIDNA!" I yelled, appearing from my hiding place as the blue figure snapped around to face me. Her motion revealed her own wide eyes, redder than usual and soaked with tears, and behind her, the shining sapphires of the green-clothed Hero.

Midna.

Link.

They did it!

"ZELDA!" They cried in unison, launching themselves from the ground. I noticed Midna supporting Link as I raced over to them, They both spread their arms and all three of us hugged tightly.

"How did you get here?" Midna asked, her tears now of happiness.

"It doesn't matter, you did it!" I cried, my own eyes now releasing tears of relief.

"We did!" Link beamed, the wetness of his eyes making them appear even deeper than usual. "He's gone… He'll never return!"

I caught a hitched sob from Midna, but when I looked at her, she betrayed nothing.

We drew out of the hug and looked at each other, all of us smiling widely.

"Light and shadow destroyed darkness," I said, looking to the pile of robes.

Midna and Link nodded in response, sighing heavily. "The cost was heavy…" Midna whispered.

I sighed too. "But it's over now…"

Midna's face twitched, but she said nothing. I felt it again, that sense that she was hiding something, but I knew trying to discover her secret was useless. She would only reveal that which she hid to someone she trusted above all. "Yes…" She whispered. "It's all over…"

She drew Link into an embrace, which he returned tenderly, both of them turning to stare at the Mirror. My breath caught when I realised.

The Void Stone… it was gone… and with it any hope of Midna's return home. They had only returned to the light because of the presence of two pieces of the Triforce so close together; the relic's nature was to unite all three pieces. I could not fathom any other way to send Midna home…

I could sense Midna's sorrow and came to her other side. I noticed how Link seemed to support her, and saw his eyes swimming with sadness. He knew what weighed on Midna's mind as much as I, probably more so.

She was separated from her home. With the destruction of the Stone, there would be no going back.

"Could you try the union again, Link?" I whispered. I felt Midna flinch beside me, and Link's eyes snapped to Midna, but the Twilight Princess merely shed a tear, not looking at either of us.

Link rubbed Midna's back in comfort and looked to the ground; I followed his gaze to look upon the Fused Shadow helmet. Looking back to him, I saw his face focused for a moment, but he finally sighed. "No… The Shadows are exhausted."

"Will they recover?" I asked hopefully.

"No…" Midna whispered. "If they won't even talk to you… All their magic has been spent…" She slowly bent down and picked up the helmet, rising to her feet and staring longingly into its eye. Finally she gave a heavy sigh, sadly shaking her head as the helmet vanished in a puff of black squares.

I looked away, my mind heavy. There truly seemed to be no way back for her… A bitter irony; she had once locked Link out of her world, but was now locked out of it herself. There was some comfort though – Link was with her, and I knew that she would be clinging to that ray of hope. He was the last thing she had left…

Another sob broke Midna's composure and I wrapped my arm around her. I saw Link gently rubbing her back. "I'm so sorry Midna…" I whispered, feeling her sadness ripple outwards from her, her tears dripping into the sand swirling in the evening breeze.

_Odd…_

I began to feel something familiar, a golden energy flowing within me, and I glanced at my hand, seeing my Triforce beginning to glow.

_What…_

Link gasped, holding up his own Triforce hand. His fragment began to glow, and I felt nervousness rising within me. It grew even more when I felt Midna flinch, her right hand snapping to her left wrist.

_Please no…_

But as I saw her slowly rotate her hand, I knew what I would see.

I was right.

Etched onto the back of Midna's hand, just visible on her blue skin, was a chillingly familiar mark. A mark I saw so much of, and a mark I feared for the power it held.

_The Triforce of Power!_

Midna bore the Gerudo's fragment of the relic.

Fear swept me when I realised all three fragments were now gathered in one place. The power present began to make itself known, and I felt my own relic burn.

_Something's happening, and I don't want to know what!_

Hearing both Link and Midna breathing fast, no doubt also feeling the rushes of magic, I began to check around. There had to a reason for the magic flaring up.

I saw it.

The sands around us were swirling again, but there was no wind. Within the closest cyclone, I saw sparks playing between the grains. White and gold crackled along the ground, spreading outwards, and I watched in horror as the rock itself began to spark.

Energy flowed within the chamber and I felt the entire prison come to life. Magic was flowing through the rock itself…

My insides became as ice.

I remembered Link's return, how he related the tale of his adventure to Arylus, and what he had learned there. One fact in particular stood out.

_The ground absorbs powerful magic…_

Whatever magic had been released here was more powerful than I had ever seen. It was strong enough to be absorbed by the rock itself, like fabric soaking up oil.

And the gathered Triforce was emitting sparks!

I could feel the incredible energy building in the area. If it were released it would surely destroy the entire structure.

"Link, Midna," I said calmly. "We've got to get out of here!"

"You feel it too?" Midna said, looking around.

"Yes, we've got to go now!" I told her.

Midna's face turned fearful. "I-I can't warp like this, and even if I could, I can't bring Link!"

At the mention of his name, Link snapped around to us, his eyes wide. "The crystal! I can't change form!"

My mind ran over the possibilities. There seemed to be only one.

"Here, grab my hands!" I commanded. Both Link and Midna instantly obeyed, exchanging glances as I held their hands tight and chanted the incantation.

Golden energy flaring, the world around us exploded into white.

(~^~)

_You have exceeded our expectations, Link…_

Who said that? That voice… that haunting, ringing voice echoed through the white.

_You know who we are, Chosen Hero._

Goddesses…

_Your efforts and sacrifices were great, and we are humbled at your willingness to give up everything. You have more than earned the right to a long life._

But aren't I…?

_No, you and your allies live still. Princess Zelda's quick actions have saved you all._

Then what is this?

_A passing, Link. A single instant in which our worlds align, that happens only when our greatest powers are called upon. An opportunity to impart our wisdom._

…I hear all you have to say, Great Goddesses…

_Your life always was your own, Link. You were the exception to our design, a factor over which we had no control. We could never influence you, nor tell you what to do, for this would undermine your freedom. Your power was your own, shaped by your belief in us. It was the only way to harness the gifts we gave you._

My life… is my own…?

_It is our greatest gift, Link. Your life is the product of your own free will. It is yours to make of it what you wish._

…My Goddesses, I don't know what to say… thank you…

_Your sacrifices in our name have more than earned you this life, and know this – you and the Twilight Princess stand as equals. She, too, is unbound by us._

…Midna…

_Shadow and light united for a common cause, Link. You and the Twilight Princess have made us proud of our creation, and we impart one final gift unto you, Midna and Zelda. Farewell Link, Chosen Hero. Live your life well._

(~*~)

I had never felt so drained. Farore's Wind had transported us all back to the Castle; Midna had been right to place that portal above the balcony. It was just enough to guide me back; the last time, we had appeared in a heap outside the town gates. This time, Link and Midna grabbed my arms as my legs failed me, helping me to stand upon the balcony.

"Thanks," I whispered, squeezing Midna's arm in gratitude. I regained my footing just in time to hear a stuttered, "Z-Z-Zelda?"

I smiled, knowing the voice. I turned to meet eyes with a startled Orlon; as soon as I did, he sighed and stepped forwards, drawing me into a hug. I kissed his cheek and held him tight, partly for support, but mostly to tell myself I was still here. Everything we'd fought for remained, and everything we'd fought against was gone.

"Is it over?" Orlon whispered in my ear.

"Yes…" I breathed. "All of it. It's all over."

I sighed as I felt his lips kiss my cheek. "Thank the Goddesses…" He whispered, pulling back to look into my eyes. We held the gaze for a moment before Orlon's eyes were drawn to something behind me, going wide.

I followed his gaze and smiled. "Link, you know," I said, watching Hyrule's Hero nod respectfully. "And may I introduce Princess Midna, Ruler of the Twilight Realm to Orlon of Arylus."

Orlon blinked a few times, evidently trying to understand Midna's appearance, but he quickly bowed before her, taking her hand and placing a kiss upon it. "My pleasure, your highness," he greeted politely.

"Thank you, kind sir," Midna replied quietly, doubtless still coming to terms with what had occurred not long ago.

Before Orlon had the chance to utter another word, the balcony door burst open.

"PRINCESS?" Cried a familiar voice, and I spun round to see an exhausted-looking Pellen clutching the door. His eyes wandered over all of us before settling on me. "Princess?" He questioned. I nodded.

"Yes, Pellen, please excuse my attire. What is it?"

"Princess, you must come immediately! You must see this!" Pellen said urgently. Though his tone was serious, it did not seem dire, and I quickly followed him as he dashed back through the door, beckoning the others to come with us.

We all ran through the castle after Pellen, who led us to the castle's courtyard where he finally slowed. He stopped, bowed to me and indicated with his hand the reason for this mad rush.

"Holy Mother Din…" I whispered as I saw it.

"They just appeared here moments ago, Princess," Pellen panted as Link, Midna and Orlon finally arrived. Link and Midna were clutching each other, and Orlon crouched with his hands on his knees to catch his breath. When Link and Midna caught sight of the object, I saw Link's eyes widen and his jaw fall, and Midna simply froze.

"It's impossible…" Link breathed. "It was destroyed!"

Midna didn't react, but Orlon raised his head to look upon it. "Zelda, what is it?" He questioned.

I turned back to make sure I really had seen it correctly. It was… different, in ways… but surely unmistakable.

Two objects stood before us, both taller than even Midna, taking pride of place in the castle courtyard. The first was metallic and black, circular and intricately detailed. The second was square, roughly hewn, and appeared to be marble. It too bore intricate carvings along its flat faces.

"The Mirror… and the Stone…" I whispered.

It had to be!

The former was most definitely the Twilight Mirror; it was unique, and I knew its shape well. The latter was the same shape as what the Void Stone once was, but no longer was it made of obsidian. It was made of light marble with flecks of black contrasting. Each of its faces was engraved with Hylian words. Both objects were aligned just as they had been in the Chamber, with the Mirror facing the Stone.

I walked up to the Stone; from the corner of my eye I noticed Pellen jump towards me, but I looked around to him and shook my head. I knew this was safe. Instead, Link walked distantly to my side, and together we placed our hands upon the marble.

It was real. I felt the cold, smooth stone beneath my fingers, and I heard Link sigh as he doubtless felt the same.

On the side facing the Mirror, I noticed familiar words, and began to read them aloud.

"_Light and shadow are two parts of the same whole. Both have made sacrifices, both have suffered for the good of the other, and both have united as one. The banishment of the Twili people shall end with this token of friendship between the World of Light and the World of Shadow. Whosoever travels through this portal shall find themselves adapted to the other's world with no ill. Let Light and Shadow stand as equals forever."_

I turned to look at Link, who appeared unable to believe it, and then to Midna, who was still frozen to the spot. She was breathing quietly, her eyes threatening to break with tears.

Orlon finally broke our silence. "Could someone please explain what's going on?"

"Yes, please!" Pellen added. "Princess, this, your attire and your company warrant some kind of explanation!"

I smiled back at both of them. "The tale is long and convoluted. I believe it is worthy of its own legend!"

"It…" Midna started. I looked around to her to see her smiling, wider and happier than I had ever seen, tears of joy falling from her eyes. "It already has," she said quietly. She walked up and placed her own hand upon the Stone, closing her eyes as she drew her fingertips along the smooth rock. "It _is_ real…" She breathed, placing both hands upon it and leaning against it. She placed her cheek flat against the rock and sighed, a few more tears rolling from her eyes onto the rock. Link put his arms around her waist and gently hugged her, his face bright and smiling.

"What do you mean, Midna?" I asked softly.

Letting out a sob of happiness, Midna opened her eyes and raised her head. Looking back at the Stone, she took a step back and indicated the text.

I studied it for a moment. "It's not a language I recognise," I realised. I glanced at my Triforce fragment, now passive and silent. "At least, not without some help."

Midna turned and gave me a knowing grin. "I know it." She turned back to the stone and began to read it herself. _"Ei logos dek Rinku."_

Both Link and I regarded her for a moment, and she quickly flashed her signature grin at both of us.

"Right here, etched into the stone," Midna smiled. "Every detail, preserved for all to read.

"_The Legend of Link."_

* * *

A bit of an end-of-story feel, I know, but Heroes isn't _quite_ over yet, so stay tuned; the story needs playing out properly! This is the culmination of everything I've done in the fic, so I hope I haven't left anything out :)  
I've also got a sequel lined up; more details will appear in time, but I intend to bring in some sci-fi, just as a word of warning. Will it work? Well, that's what people will have to tell me! Speaking of which, love to hear what you think of this chapter!  
See ya next time!  
Gargravarr


	42. Chapter 37: Clearing Mist

And here we are again - another upload via my phone whilst in the French countryside, but hey, I love my readers too much :D  
Thanks for all the reviews I got last chapter - REALLY good ones, and I think I replied to all of them personally. On that subject, I told a lot of you I was planning a two-part epilogue until the finish; well, I got writing and this was the result - a final note for the main story that ties things off better than placing it in the epilogue, and as ever my eternal gratitude to Varanus for beta-ing the chapter and listening to my ramblings for ideas! The two-part epilogue will still close off Heroes, so stay tuned! Oh, and there's a record for fastest-review-after-posting-the-chapter, and it stands at exactly 20 minutes by Varanus - anyone want to try to break it? :D  
I'm going home tomorrow and then I'll be straight back to work on Monday, so I'm not sure when the next chapter will be up, but I'll try my best!  
Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 37  
Clearing Mist

It was all over.

Those words had circled through my mind for so long.

I just could not believe how things had come full circle.

The journey had tried us all, that much was very true, but the outcome was worth it.

In the aftermath of whatever happened in the prison, Link showed his exhaustion but would not admit to it, at least until Midna forced him to lie down. I laughed when she informed me he'd fallen asleep before his head had even touched the pillow.

He slept soundly for over a day and remained in bed for three, waking occasionally to eat and talk for a while, but we all knew whatever had happened to him had taken its toll on his body and he needed to recover, so we allowed him to rest for as long as it took.

During those long hours Link slept, I was able to piece together enough about what happened from Midna, and our conversations became quite interesting.

"He's still asleep," the Twilight Princess smiled as she took a seat in my room. I glanced out of the window at the Sun, noting that it was early evening.

"How long has he rested for now?"

"A day. I wouldn't be surprised if he sleeps the rest of the week."

I smiled. "I believe he has earned the right to a long rest."

Midna suddenly shook, as though a repulsive thought had swept through her.

"I'm sorry, did I say something wrong?" I asked in concern.

Midna gave a heavy sigh and shook her head, lowering her head into her hand. After a moment, she raised her head again and stared at her open palms, giving another shudder.

"Midna, please, tell me what is bothering you!" I pleaded. "You've reacted very strangely to a lot of statements!"

She shook herself and giggled nervously. "Strangely?"

"Even for you," I replied, carefully watching her reactions. I could always tell when someone was hiding something from me, and none hid more than her. Just her presence gave me that feeling of secrecy; no words needed saying nor looks exchanged. The Princess was an enigma, but there were occasions where she let hints to her troubles slip. "Don't deny it; something is weighing on your mind, and it's about what happened in that prison, isn't it?"

Midna averted her eyes to the window looking toward the desert, confirming my suspicions. Her gaze held a moment, before she sighed and turned back to me, a prominent frown on her face. "Zelda, why do you care so much? We all have our problems, all have our secrets. They define us."

"They can destroy us, too," I replied, my face becoming serious. "I showed you what bottling his emotions did to Link, remember? Now, we are not just allies, Midna. We are friends. And friends look out for each other's welfare. No great burden should ever be borne alone."

Midna's frown did not cease and we held our gazes for a long moment, before I realised pushing her would truly get nowhere. I sighed and looked away. "Very well, perhaps you should talk with Link. He will likely understand…"

At that, I heard Midna take a quick breath, and as I wondered why, she gave a heavy sigh. "I can never tell him of my burden. It's not something he can ever know." Her tone sounded… defeated… as if she had conceded there was no alternative. I turned slowly back to see her regarding the ground with a heavy gaze.

"Link knows you better than anyone, what is it about you he cannot know?" I tried.

"It's not about me, Zelda," she said quietly, looking up at me. "But about him. Him just… _being_ here… I feel like it wasn't meant to be…"

"What do you mean?" I questioned carefully. She was making little sense, but I knew this burden had to be heavy enough to crush her, and would have to be lifted.

She opened her hands again, staring at her palms with quivering eyes. Slowly, she raised her hands between us, her eyes never leaving them. "I held him… with these hands… when he died…" She spoke, her voice barely a whisper.

"But… Midna… he lives! You saved him!" It was about the only detail Link had been able to tell me before his exhaustion overcame him. "He cannot have truly died, perhaps he was too badly injured to stay awake." I had heard tales of soldiers wounded on the battlefield thought dead by their comrades, only to have a quick-acting surgeon seemingly return them to life.

Midna's face quivered again, her hands shaking. "No… Not the first time…" She whispered. She clenched her fists and looked into my eyes as I silently pleaded her to continue. "The first time… when Link destroyed Ganondorf… the power wounded him mortally, and I was too slow to save him. If perhaps the merger hadn't knocked me out when it failed… There might have been just enough time to find help, to save him… But when I got to him, it was too late." Tears began to pool in her eyes. "He died in my arms, Zelda. Link passed away as I held him. I saw his eyes go dark, and that image will haunt me for the rest of my life."

"But Link is alive," I tried to reassure her. "Because of you, somehow, you brought him back! Whatever you saw, it isn't true!"

"But it _was_ true, Zelda! And that's what makes it so hard! I saw him die once, I heard him whisper his final words to me. And I saw the look in his eyes, that he knew it was his time, and now look – he knows nothing of what happened, but I _know_ what truly happened, and it's like two extremes are trying to merge in my head. It's like, to some degree, Link isn't _supposed_ to be here!"

"How can you say such a thing when you brought him back!" I snapped, making her flinch and a tear fall. I sighed heavily, regretting my outburst. "I'm sorry, Midna, I just don't understand."

She looked to the floor again, but quickly met eyes with me. "You are right, Zelda. I think… I think you need to know the full story."

As Midna explained to me the events passed, and of a future that now did not exist, I sat in awe. The power to shape time was understood to be the most destructive force known, and yet Midna had wielded it to save Link's life.

As she finished the tale, I understood why she was so conflicted. It wasn't as simple as Link had never died because of her actions – he actually _had_ died, in her arms, _as she watched_, and yet the same Link lay in peaceful sleep in another room in this very castle. "Midna, I…" I stumbled, my thoughts spinning. I shook my head lightly. "I do not know what to say…"

"I don't…" She sighed. "I don't think there's anything _anyone_ can say, Zelda. Life is fragile, death is a constant. That's what all mortals understand. But what I've seen, what I've done… it goes against it all. And that look in his eyes… Zelda, I just can't get rid of it. It's like… I forced him back. He was ready, he accepted it was his time, and I dragged him back."

"Midna, you saved his life. When I see his eyes look upon you now there is admiration as well as love. From what I understand, you saved his life before he could think those things. He knows only that you saved him; he is in your debt for the rest of his life and he knows it, because he _wants_ to be here! And above all, he wants to be with you."

Midna's eyes fell to her feet and she was silent as she thought, her hands resting on her knees. I gently placed my hand over hers. "You're right. It's beyond the moral coil to understand what you've done. I think… that it may be for the best you don't try to rationalise it, but just accept it happened, and Link is with us because of you," I felt my face rise into a wide grin rivalling her signature smile, "O Heroine of Time!"

Midna blinked before looking at me in confusion. "What?"

I smiled. "You saved the Hero with the Ocarina of Time. I think that qualifies you for the title!"

She gave me a blank look for a moment, before her face broke into a wide grin and she began to laugh. "You're right! I guess we're both heroes of time, huh?"

I laughed with her at that.

"I'd need my own legend, though," she mused, before shaking her head lightly. "No, actually I think I'll just share Link's. He deserves it more than I do."

She fell silent for a moment, her thoughts evidently flowing, before I asked her the obvious question. "So… what happens now?"

"You mean… when he finally gets out of bed?" She smiled, before sighing. "I'm torn, Zelda. Truly torn. I want to be with him, now more than ever. I want to cherish every moment I have with him, never give him up…"

"But…?" I prompted.

"But…" She sighed. "Link would never be happy in the Twilight. He _needs_ the adventure, the unexpected… Life in the Twilight would be too calm for him. And what's worse, he'd put up with it." She looked away, sighing and shaking her head. "I can't let him do that, watch him waste his life, and I can't leave him. I wonder… if I might enlist your aid, Zelda."

I regarded her curiously. "With what?"

Midna gave a gentle smile. "Instating a new system of government in the Twilight."

It took me long moments before I realised what she meant. "Oh…" I whispered. "Wait, Midna, do you really mean-"

"Yes, Zelda, I do," she interrupted smoothly. "This past year has shown me who I am. I just don't think I can be the ruler my people deserve – a true Princess cannot be swayed by her heart, must put her people first in everything… And I just can't do it. I've grown tired of being the untouchable, distant ruler, of being the only one who actually cares enough to do anything…" She sighed. "Life is so much greater than that. This year showed me that the worlds have so much to offer us. I want to enjoy it, with Link, and if that means I must give up my power, then so be it."

I sat in stunned silence listening to her outline her plans, and I found myself shaking my head distantly.

"I got the feeling the royal family's days were numbered," she seemed to justify. "I'm the last of the Royal bloodline, and I have seen just what that counts for. I've seen backhanded dealings, attempts to get around me… The Council have been making grabs for power for years. It's something I told Link – would it be so bad to let them have it? Of course, if I knew those on the Council could be trusted with it, but imagine, Zelda – the power spread between them, no single person in control, so to do anything they _must _agree!"

I shook my head strongly. "Midna, it sounds like you're multiplying the problem – what if they do not have the interests of the Twili held high enough? Then you have the power spread among the many who do not wield it properly!"

"Yes, very true, but the Council are _elected_, Zelda, not born into their roles. Until now, it has been the Royal's decision who to elect, but… imagine… allowing the people to choose who is on the Council, allow them to remove those who do not perform their duties. The Council represent the common people; they should be answerable to them."

I silently thought through Midna's words before answering her. "Midna… what you propose would change everything… Replace a system dating back thousands of years… Could you truly invoke such a change?" Hyrule's monarchy had worked soundly for so long, I could not envision it ever changing, and yet Midna proposed doing nothing less in the Twilight. It was unthinkable for me.

"How much must be completely changed, really?" She asked.

"Everything!" I replied.

"Really, Zelda?" She mused. "There will still be a body in control of the land, the common people will keep their places, their jobs, their lives… But it spreads the power out. One person with absolute power is one person to be feared, one who cannot be controlled. I've seen it; my people may love me, but many secretly fear me, because I'm just a single person with the power to shape so many lives. One person to succumb to corruption…"

"I… I think I understand…" I said quietly. She was making sense; to be in power was a constant battle to ensure those beneath did not fear those above. To live in fear was to live under a dark cloud, hiding from the thunder. The Twili had been subjected to the rule of a tyrant; they had known the corruption and fear Midna spoke of. "But it will take time, to craft such a system and to allow it to be accepted… Do you even know if they will accept it?"

"I know them. It will not go without resistance, but I believe the majority will allow it."

"Are you sure about this?"

She sighed. "Mostly, but I believe you're right to ask. Perhaps the time has come for me to visit home."

I had been somewhat surprised by Midna's reluctance to return to the Twilight, insisting instead upon watching over Link. None had touched the Mirror or Stone at my request, though I had discussed with an architect the best arrangement of the two within the castle grounds. Suffice to say, all who knew of their presence were somewhat confused by my eagerness to afford them pride of place; for now, I had decided to reveal the minimum of information to those I deemed necessary. I would announce the Mirror's presence and the existence of the Twili to all in time, and for that event, I wished for Link to stand beside me. I knew he had won the hearts of the tribes all over Hyrule, and I prayed he would help me ensure none would panic upon discovering our distant neighbours.

I allowed Midna's thought to linger for a moment before continuing. "Do you believe what the stone claims, that it will be able to… 'adapt' people to survive in either realm?"

Midna gave a gentle nod. "It has to. I know this is the work of the Goddesses. All of this… getting light and shadow to unite… It's got to be true, and it's the only way we would stand as equals. I don't think Link'll be lending his Triforce to tourists!"

I smiled. "What do you think the Twili will do?"

Midna looked away for a moment, her face moving in thought. "To be honest, Zelda… I actually don't know. The deep-set hatred of the light is very rare, and it's mostly because they cannot return to the light, but now… Now, crossing between realms will be like walking between rooms." She regarded me momentarily. "How do you feel about that?"

I sighed. "Well… it's strange, really. My feelings are very mixed. On the one hand, the only prior contact this realm has had with the Twilight was… well…" I flashed Midna a meek expression, to which she returned a sigh. "But I know the Twili are a good people, Midna, and I will give them the benefit of the doubt. Whilst I cannot make them Hyrule's immediate allies," I felt myself grow serious. "I will allow them the chance to earn our trust, and I truly wish to see our two peoples standing tall as allies. Such an alliance would bring much to both races."

"What about the Light dwellers?" She asked.

I looked away. "It will be difficult, perhaps the hardest thing I have ever done. Fear of that which they do not understand can set deep but… my people look to me, as I am sure the Twili look to you. I believe that if we lead by example, the rest will follow."

She looked away. "It's going to be an interesting first few years," she sighed.

"For us all," I agreed, mulling over the things we had discussed. One thought stood out. "Forgive me for asking, but…"

"…what am I going to do now?" She finished, making us both smile. "I never did answer your question, did I…" She looked away, musing. "The adventure Link went on… that life of mystery, of discovery… I want it, Zelda. I want to see all the worlds have to offer, and I want to do it all with Link. Life is so much bigger than staying in one place, doing the same things over and over. I've never been happier than on our journeys together, and I don't want to give that up."

"Neither will he; I'm sure of that," I added. "Arylus and Dulfannin, and surely lands beyond, whole lands awaiting discovery." I broke off my own musing and smiled at her. "It sounds like quite a life, for both of you. I just… hope it will work…"

Midna nodded heavily. "Sounds like I need to head home and see what I can do… Or," she looked up grinning, "hand them my resignation and leave them to it!"

I chuckled a few times and rose with her, both of us heading to the courtyard. With a sigh, I noticed some of the beautiful flowers were beginning to wither; the gardeners refused to come within twenty feet of the Mirror or the Stone, and I smiled when I thought of myself tending to the neglected flowers later.

Midna walked up to the Mirror and, ever so slowly, reached up to touch its surface. She sighed happily, before raising her hand to its centre, mumbling some kind of incantation.

I watched in slight awe as the portal activated, just as it had before. The symbols on the surface of the Mirror rose into the air and burrowed into the Stone, forming a tunnel between our realms. Midna touched her foot to the slab at the base of the Mirror; the ghostly staircase appeared in the air, extending upwards. She slowly ascended the steps before turning back to me. "I'll try to be back in a few hours, but promise me you'll tell Link I'll be safe. The realm will be fragile for a while, and I want him to rest."

"I will," I replied, eyeing the Stone nervously. "Are you sure about this?"

Midna grinned. "It hasn't killed me yet, but don't worry – the first time it does, I'll let you say it!" Without dropping her grin, and with me smiling back, Midna spun about her heel and bounced lightly onto the final step. And just as before, the form of the Twilight Princess broke into millions of white particles and swirled into the portal, but this time I did not feel the same weight of devastation I had six months ago. Because I knew she would return, and as soon as she could, she would be with Link.

Hopefully forever.

(~^~)

Dreams are strange.

I saw enough of them while I rested to know that.

To be honest, I hadn't realised just how tired I was. When I had something to do, it was as if my strength became limitless, but the instant my task was over, I was too exhausted for words.

So I finally conceded to Midna and laid myself into a bed.

And fell instantly into dreams.

I didn't often remember my normal dreams. My nightmares were stronger; they left vivid imprints behind my eyes when I awoke and for a moment, it seemed like whatever I faced in my head was beside me. Few things in the world scared me, but what my mind could come up with easily did.

But these dreams were vibrant retellings of my journey, all of the strongest memories I held, as if… as if I were looking at a tapestry of my adventure.

The weavings of my own legend.

Kokau had been right, I smiled. He had his legend, now I had mine. Our stories were etched into history; mine was literally set in stone. And it was quite an odd feeling; so much of my life, turned to text on a wall for all to read. And it was all about Link the Adventurer.

A thought suddenly struck me.

I'd done it, hadn't I? I'd destroyed him, once and for all.

Ganondorf was gone.

And that meant… the story, of Link the Adventurer… it could end, couldn't it? This other me, he could ride off into the sunset and vanish into history, taking everything with him.

Leaving me.

Just plain old Link.

I knew I'd changed, but I was still me.

With the end of my legend, there could be a happy ending.

The one I'd thought would never occur.

I'd survived the journey, with Midna beside me, and she loved me as I loved her. And we _wanted_ to be together, more than anything.

More than-

Oh Goddesses…

We'd never answered the question, had we?

Who knew what would happen next… Even the Goddesses did not know the future. Our lives were our own, to do with as we wished. That meant it was up to us to come up with a plan.

I couldn't tell how much of my thoughts I was awake for; perhaps some occurred to me in my dreams. So much merged together in my exhaustion that it was hard to tell when I finally awoke.

"Hey, buster!"

Well, that was good enough.

I cracked my eyes open to find it was night; in the dim glow of the oil lamps in my room, Midna's form seemed warmer, softer… I felt the gentle hand on my cheek as I smiled at her.

"Was I awake?" I asked her.

"More or less," she replied. "You were mumbling!"

I yawned and smiled back at her. "It's kinda hard to tell. It's like I haven't slept for a month…"

Midna smiled at me. "Sleepy little wolf, huh? Need to curl up for a while longer?" She teased as I felt my heavy eyelids fall. "You can rest up, Link. Everything's fine now. For everything you've done, get as much sleep as you need." I felt her ruffle my hair; the touch of her fingers to my head was so soothing… It made a wonderful change, to feel such gentle contact in place of endless beatings and draining sword counters. It was… _so_ calming… like she could lull me back to sleep with her touch alone, and I sighed softly. I cracked open my eyes to look at her, and something finally slid into place.

Her clothes were different.

Not completely, but she was definitely wearing new clothes. Her elegant, somewhat revealing sarong was now a long black dress that hugged her figure. She wore a silky black overcoat with sleeves, and her overall outfit seemed somewhere between travelling clothes and a ballroom gown.

Given the style of the clothes, I knew where she'd got them.

"You went home, didn't you?" I whispered.

She didn't seem surprised and gently nodded. And that's when I noticed something else.

"Your… your tiara…" She wasn't wearing it.

Midna's smile grew somehow warmer. "I know, Link. You know how our lives are what we make of them… I know what I want to make of mine. Don't worry your fuzzy little head about it for now, my little wolf. Go back to sleep, dream well… I'll tell you all about it when you're rested."

She stroked my hair again, just like someone would a dog, and she grinned widely, knowing. I smiled back, also knowing that when she got like this, it meant her mind was made up, and there was no point arguing. "Okay," I whispered.

She leant close to me and kissed me, and much as I wanted to prolong our contact, I was just so tired…

I must have fallen asleep right then, but when I awoke for a few moments a little while later, I felt the arm around me, and I saw the orange hair behind me in the dim morning light; I felt her quiet breaths gracing my neck, felt the wonderful calm all around us… and suddenly, all I wanted to do was sleep, never to break this. I laced my fingers with hers and closed my eyes, eagerly awaiting what I knew would be the best dreams I had ever had.

* * *

Full circle for real, huh?  
I knew I had to work out a plan for Midna and Link, and this seemed the best way.  
And how about that, I finish the main story on upload 42 :D  
So let me know what you think, and see ya next time!  
Ciao,  
Gargravarr


	43. Epilogue

Well, would you look who it is! I am so sorry I've been gone for so long!  
Utter, utter chaos would sum up this entire year – the past six months have been spent watching my parent's marriage slowly crumble after 27 years, something none of us were ever expecting. I've been so worried about my mum (and to a lesser degree, my b****** father) that I've been unable to write like I used to. However, I am trying very hard to get back into the mindset I had before all this happened, when I was churning out thousands of words a day. We'll see what results.  
Anyway, this chapter is the last chapter of Heroes, making this quite an occasion. It's really strange, preparing to move the status from 'In Progress' to 'Complete.' It's amazing that I've been working on this fic for almost one year to the day; started end of November last year, completed start of November this year. There have been good and bad times, and I've written both good and bad chapters, but I have always had good readers, and I would like to say thank you to everyone who has read Heroes, fave'd it, alert'd it and especially those who went on to review it. I know I made no replies to comments on the previous chapter, and I shall endeavour to make those personal replies I neglected. Oh, and just to say, I made a challenge in the last chapter to post a review faster than 20 minutes. Someone did; a certain genus of lizard managed to post a review ONE FREAKIN' MINUTE after I uploaded the chapter! Dude beat his own record by 19 minutes! Okay, seriously...  
I am curious as to whether anyone would be prepared to make some artwork for Heroes; I don't know who to ask, but I am hopeless at drawing! :) I have a deviantArt account (link is my homepage), so if anyone would be interested in making a doodle or two, they would be awesomely appreciated as I intend to make Heroes available in PDF form. Anyone interested in the PDFs can find them on my homepage (linked in my profile, and is now hosted on my new, more reliable server Excalibur).  
So, the chapter itself. This chapter took real work and regular prompting from a certain beta reader to get me to write it, and I really hope it's been worth it, because I changed tactics again. The epilogue is now just a single part, so this really is the final chapter of Heroes of Time; you could think of the last chapter as the first part in a sense. However, fear not – the sequel is in the works already! Check my Twitter or profile for further information (Twitter is updated more regularly).  
For the last time this fic, I shall leave you with one word.  
Enjoy!

* * *

Epilogue

(~+~)

Time…

Much of this world, of all worlds, is strange, but time is truly without comparison. Without time nothing would exist. Time is uncontrollable, unstoppable… It just _is_.

On countless occasions I found myself wondering about time, how different it seemed to me now. No longer was it a constant, and no longer did it merely flow along a straight path. The river of time could be diverted at any moment, for I remembered, not even the Goddesses knew the future. It was up to us to decide it.

Many more times I had considered the future, especially in the aftermath of our incredible journey. In such a short space of time so much had happened that would shape the future for us all.

The trial was one of them. The Question of the One who had wronged so many. Such were his crimes that his name needed no mention. I believe every single Twili gathered to hear the final sentence. It was likely me who saved him from immediate death; my final duty as Princess of the Twili, ironically, protected the life of the one who had ended many others. But Link was right. Justice had to be done. And so when the Question was asked, it was answered by the fairest court I could assemble. Even I stepped aside, remaining only as a juror. The Council I had selected met with the greatest challenge I could give them, an event that would tell me if my hopes would be realised. I hoped above all that these twelve fine men and women were truly those I could entrust the Twili to.

Amongst the maelstrom of hatred that day shone hope, and much of it. Link was with me, watching from the galleries. Turos had remembered his encounter with us in the Nothingness, and I told him of how I had needed Link's help to banish the darkness. He realised on his own that the entire Twili owed their lives to him, a Light-dweller, and upon learning of the Goddesses' gift to both realms, I could see his opinion of the Light change. It took days, but he finally agreed that, if one Light-dweller could be selfless enough to save not only his own world, but the world of a people he had no relation to, and twice, that the deep-set hatred of the Light had become meaningless. He came to agree with me, that to spread this to the rest of our people would take time, but he could not object to Link's presence.

Link knew the risk of coming here, but I found it hard to believe he chose to do so and not bring a sword, even an ordinary one; before the Question, we had journeyed to the Sacred Grove to place the Blade of Evil's Bane to rest once more. I found myself do something strange when he did; like he, I too thanked the sword, placing my hand to its hilt and whispering my gratitude for its aid in the salvation of two worlds. The blessed blade did not harm me like I feared, but I instead felt its satisfaction that its purpose had once more been fulfilled. In the days after, Link experimented with many blades, not one to his liking, but when necessary he would wield a sword. This time, he told me, he wanted to appear as a friend, to help us quell the hatred of the violent Light. He trusted the Twili would return to their calm nature I once told him of. As it happened, there was hatred in the air, but directed so far away from Link that he had nothing to fear.

Turos made me proud. He did not bow to the calls for Zant's immediate execution, nor did he ignore the cries of those who had lost their loved ones at his hands. His slow nature, that which often irritated me, finally made sense. He took much time, listening to everyone he could. He consulted long and hard with the other Councillors, and when I told him solemnly that Zant's fate was left to him, he decreed that it would be just. He even called Link and myself to give our evidence; it was the only time I saw Zant break from his distant stupor. Chained and bound as he was, sealed inside a crystal like Rallic, when I took the stand, his eyes darkened with grim acceptance.

He had sent many to their deaths, caused untold destruction and suffering, and his crimes against the Royal family were terrible. But although his will could be bent with little effort, his true nature was not pure evil. Without a single reason, he had aided us in the destruction of the darkness, returning to the people he knew would only wish for his death. His crimes were great, and despite being influenced, it was he who had committed them. He knew without doubt what accepting the great power offered to him would lead him to. Mere thoughts of treason were harshly punished, and those who committed it were often shown no mercy. He was quite lucky his actions had helped us, or we would have thrown him to the kargorocs.

When it came to his own defence he barely spoke, admitting his guilt and declaring that all he wished was to either live, or to die. His time of being caught between the two had changed him, and wished only for certainty.

Turos' final judgement was heard with baited breath from all gathered. He mentioned a death sentence, and for a moment I feared it was to be his conclusion. But to my surprise, he declared it purposeless; it would allow this man, this criminal, an easy escape, and he instead decreed that Zant, who had robbed others of their lives and their freedom, would be imprisoned for the rest of his life, so he could spend every waking hour thinking of the results of his actions, perhaps even wishing for his own death. As he explained these reasons, the jeers of the crowd died away, and with his final conclusion that the Twili's nature was as a civilised, peaceful people, and that to extend a barbaric punishment upon him was to betray our very nature, silence befell the room. And after the fallen usurper had been soundlessly led away to begin his sentence, one of the jurors rose to the Council and began to clap.

Within moments, all had arisen and the applause was deafening. It was just as I had hoped. Turos was a strong and wise man, and for his show of justice, had captivated the Twili. He and the Council truly could deal with such severe matters, and I knew they would be able to take on the responsibility I had discussed with them. It was not long after that we set in motion my plans for the realm, and it was done so carefully that it met with near-unanimous support. Not long after, the realms of Light and Shadow revealed the portal to their denizens. With Turos' steadfast, almost philosophical explanation of the reasons for accepting the world of Light, and Zelda's inspirational speech for peace between the worlds, so little resistance was met on both sides. Of course, we may have had a bit of help in that sense.

_The voice that beckoned us into the room early that morning was tired and frustrated. We both stepped in to find Zelda hunched over her desk, a quill in one hand, her head in the other as she stared at a near-blank piece of parchment._

_She sighed heavily and turned, rising to greet us with a tired smile. "Midna… Link…" We both hugged her warmly, Link placing a kiss on her cheek._

"_You look exhausted," I commented. She really did look it; her hair was no longer neatly straightened and her eyes were heavy. Her hands bore a few inkblots; her desk was scattered with scrunched-up parchment and the remnants of meals. A goblet of wine, almost drained, was in easy reach._

_Zelda sighed wearily. "I feel it, Midna. I've been working on this for nearly two days."_

_Link glanced over at the parchment. "Your speech?"_

_Zelda nodded. "It's just… It's so hard to find the words. Whilst I cannot dwell on the first encounter between our peoples, I cannot ignore it either. And to find ways of conveying the subject without assigning blame… It is so hard…" She sighed again._

"_Zelda, you really are exhausted. You need to rest, approach this tomorrow when you're refreshed."_

_The Princess gave a shallow laugh. "I would love to, if I were able to sleep for as long as you," she said with a sideways glance at Link, who smiled meekly. "But in truth, I have so much to worry about I have such difficulty sleeping."_

_I felt a pang of concern for her; not only were we approaching the unveiling of the portal to Hyrule, but the wedding and coronation of Zelda and Orlon. Add in my official role as Ambassador to the Twili, a role that was supposed to ignore our friendship… Her life was changing, and fast._

"_Things will work out, Zelda," Link told her, placing his hand on her shoulder. "They always do."_

"_Ha, I wish I had your confidence," Zelda sighed, her voice fading as she turned away. "I feel like I'm leaping into the unknown. There's so much uncertainty about the future."_

_Link smiled. "Actually, we've come up with one way to help with that."_

_Zelda gave me a quizzical look. "How?"_

_He said nothing, but instead held up his left hand, showing the reverse. Traced in black was his Triforce. I knew where he was going with this._

"_We've done some reading on Hyrule's history. The Triforce in particular," he said, "has some very interesting powers."_

"_When the three pieces are united, the completed Triforce will grant the wishes of whoever unites them," I said._

_Zelda laughed lightly. "Since when did you start reading history, Link?"_

"_Since it started saving the world," I laughed. Link merely shrugged, smiling._

"_And yes, I know that legend," Zelda continued. "What of it?"_

"_We have all three pieces," I said, flashing the Triforce on my hand. His and my piece often glowed in the presence of the other, but over time, they seemed to grow used to the closeness. However, now given Zelda's presence, both our pieces began to glow, that familiar warmth flowing through my hand._

_Zelda started to follow us. "What would we wish for?" She said, holding up her own piece; it too glowed gently gold._

"_What we all want," Link said. "It is said that those pure of heart would be able to bring about peace and prosperity for all life, for the longest time."_

_Zelda looked him in the eyes. What he said must have made sense, and was probably very tempting. "Peace and prosperity for all life… that'd do you out of a job, Link!"_

"_Hey, I'm happy now!" He laughed._

"_What do you think, Zelda?" I pressed._

_Zelda was silent for a while. We let her think as her Triforce glowed; she was channelling its wisdom. For long moments she remained still and we allowed her thoughts to roam, before her tired eyes opened, sparkling with renewed energy. A soft smile graced her face, and her weary, exhausted appearance seemed to melt away, her face shining. She looked at both of us. "Let's do it!" She said with a nod. "It's the will of the Goddesses, isn't it? That we should do this?"_

"_No-one can know their intentions. Even they don't know the future, right?" Link said with a sideways smile at me. I smiled back; he had told me of how he heard the words of the Goddesses in the aftermath of the prison's destruction, and I found it a perfect way to tell him what they had told me._

"_No," I replied. "But sometimes, we can make a good guess!" I smiled, feeling the warmth of the awakened relic on my hand. Link and I held out our Triforce hands. I noticed Zelda was the odd one out, being right-handed. I held my hand out level with theirs, feeling the warmth of my Triforce spread up my arm. Our fingertips met and all the symbols glowed gold, pulsing with warmth and energy._

_I took a guess and lowered my hand under Link's; the glow increased and he quickly followed my lead, placing his hand over mine. On his hand, the top triangle filled in, glowing gold. Two pieces had merged – power and courage. But we needed guidance._

_I looked to Zelda and saw a twinge of nervousness in her eyes. I knew why – so much power in one place, and the last time it was united, it had reduced a place larger than this entire castle to rubble. She met eyes with both of us, took a deep breath, and suddenly, all of her fears seemed to fall away. She clenched her fist for a moment, nodded and followed suit, holding her hand over Link's. As I watched, the final two triangles on her Triforce began glowing. I felt the power of the Triforce radiate through me. It was a friendly power, but of such potency I had never actually used it after the prison. But now I knew what I would do with it, to use it safely._

_I heard Zelda breathe again, before her face set. Suddenly, she pressed downwards onto Link, pushing our hands together._

_Our hands became gold._

_The power surged through me and the light in the room turned to gold._

_Our thoughts merged; I could feel Link and Zelda as though we were one, almost like when Link and I had merged before._

_The pieces were united, and the Triforce seemed to accept us; familiar, heated energy flowed through all of us, waiting for its command._

'_Ready?' I heard Zelda's voice, clear of echoes and with a strange power behind it._

'_Ready,' came my love's voice in my mind._

'_Ready,' I thought as firmly as I could._

'_Here goes.' I sensed Zelda breathe deep._

'_We wish for peace and prosperity for all worlds forever,' we said as one._

_A single pulse of light flashed from the Triforce as we held that moment._

_Link spoke, "That was it?"_

_A single instant later, the magic of the Triforce exploded outwards, bathing the room in an incredible golden light. We felt the light wash over us, pure energy spreading out of the room and into the lands themselves._

_I had no idea how long we stood there, but it was an impressive moment. We had just harnessed the peak of an ancient power to fulfil an ancient prophecy. Hopefully, we'd done it right._

_When the light finally faded, we opened our eyes and looked at each other._

_We still stood in Zelda's untouched room. Nothing had been disturbed; even the scrunched-up parchment remained in place._

_The light returned to normal, barely changed._

_It must have taken minutes at the most._

_Imagine that – the fate of the world determined in moments._

"_Do you think we succeeded?" Link said for all of us._

_Zelda and Link's hands gently released each other and mine, and I cast a look upon it._

_No._

_The back of my hand… it was as blue as it had ever been, my skin untouched!_

_The Triforce – it was gone!_

_I heard sharp intakes of breath from both Zelda and Link as they doubtless realised the same. "Oh Goddesses…" Zelda whispered, her breaths light and rapid. "It… it's gone…"_

_Link's face was one of utter devastation as he looked upon his hand. His scarred skin no longer bore the black mark, just like Zelda's pristine hand._

"_Well…" Zelda whispered. "That was unexpected."_

"_But…" Link whispered. "Why?"_

_Zelda slowly adopted a small smile. "The Triforce grants one wish, and one alone, to the pure of heart. It is its ultimate purpose, the use of all its power… It must have returned to the Sacred Realm…"_

_Link looked at his hand longingly, his face slowly turning to resemble a puppy whose favourite stick had suddenly been taken. Though I knew why, only he would understand the relic's meaning; I had not allowed myself to even nibble at the Triforce's power. Deep down, though I knew the symbolism of the relic, I was not destined, nor had any desire, to use light magic. The height of power… it had to be to choose never to wield it. The union of light and shadow had no need to run so deep… Soon we would stand as equals, separate in ourselves, but united as our peoples. If our actions eased the upcoming events, it was a worthy price._

"_It was for the best," Link sighed heavily._

_I looked at my hand again. There was no trace the relic had ever been there. "Do you think it worked?" I asked Zelda._

_The Princess softly rubbed the back of her hand, sighed and gently smiled. "The future can never be known," she mused, looking to the window. "But I believe it is safe to trust that something marvellous will become of this." She moved to the window, laying her hands upon its sill and staring out over the land beneath her. Link and I stood beside her, watching the land below with her. Of the citizens awake at this hour, none appeared to be any different. It was as if our actions had gone completely unnoticed. She turned to us and smiled. "Only time will tell."_

(~^~)

"Time will tell."

Time never told a lot of things. We had to discover its mysteries ourselves. But perhaps Zelda was right that day. The only way to know what the future held for us was to wait and see. And it seemed we'd been right to trust in that power. For years now, the worlds had been at peace. Zelda finally took up her rightful title as Queen, ruling beside King Orlon. And despite my fears that their marriage was one of necessity, just a show to unite two lands to ensure trade stability, they seemed to have fallen for each other. It was as Zelda had said; the peaceful time brought out the best in Orlon, raising his confidence, and Zelda guided his newfound strength. And whilst it had been many years since we had last seen Hyrule, we knew the land was safe. I could feel it.

We had journeyed for longer than I had ever thought possible. When we first left Hyrule together, to visit Arylus, it had rekindled our shared love of adventure. Zelda knew what we planned to do as soon as we returned, even though Midna and I had only properly discussed it on the journey home. But it was what we both wanted, and I felt that longing I had pushed away, that thrill of discovery, the call of the real me. This was exactly what I wanted, to be with her, travelling as we once did. Discovering and seeing the wonders of the world the Goddesses had created. There was so much to see, it could take a lifetime. But to spend my life out there… it was truly what I wished. The Hero had already ridden off in one direction, away into the dense folds of history and his own legend. I only wished to ride off in another, down a path of my own making.

Zelda didn't try to hold me back. She held neither fear nor concern for the future, but brightly shining hope. What we'd all done for the safety of our worlds, our own futures… To know that we had fulfilled the Goddesses' wish, served our purposes to them and our land, that in the time of peace and stability we had ushered in we could live for ourselves… It was perfect.

It was three years before we left. In that time, we watched the lands recover and prosper as we prepared for our journey. It was hard for me, to sever the ties that still bound me to this land. But everyone understood my reasons. They came to know the true me; that this was what I needed. Even Colin was supportive of me; he had held onto his childhood for as long as he could, and over the time we prepared, I passed on all the skills I knew to him. As he grew, I knew he would train long and hard, but he didn't force himself to grow too fast. With his bolstered confidence he was much happier, and though our final goodbye for so many years was tearful, as we departed I saw him smile.

Even Ilia was able to smile a little as we left. She told me she knew it was what I had to do, and I told her to do what she truly needed, to find someone who would make her happy. She said she would, and would never give up hope; because wherever I was, even at the farthest point of the world, she knew I would always remain in Hyrule in spirit.

I often thought of them, even… it must be… twenty years, perhaps, later, when once again, our journey reached a split.

(~+~)

"We need to go left!"

"No, we go right!"

Our journey had consisted of this for… how many years now? It was hard to tell, so very far from home…

Link and I stood at the crossroads; another chapter break in the story of our lives now. One way led to civilisation; the other led to anywhere.

Guess where Link wanted to go…

"I mean it, Link, I'm tired! The guy back in Holodrum said Labyrnia has inns and hot food, stuff we might not see for a _week_ if we head off _that_ way! And you know what that means!"

Link mock-rolled his eyes. "Yeah yeah, you'll kill me before the week's over!" He grinned. I made a playful swipe for his ear to etch the point in, which he managed to dodge. "But we _know_ what's in Labyrnia; we _don't_ know what's down this road!"

"It's less travelled for a reason," I replied, noting the overgrown road as opposed to the well-kept route to Labyrnia. "There's probably nothing!"

"Then why make a road to it?" Link smiled, stroking his beard. Goddesses, did he need a shave; it had been a couple of weeks since we'd been anywhere I could give my little wolf a proper grooming! The little goatee, I didn't mind, but the full-on beard _had_ to go!

I rolled my eyes. "I miss the times I could call 'Princess' on you!"

Link grinned, coaxed his horse over to me and wrapped me in a hug. Placing a kiss upon my cheek, he whispered to me, "You could always just throw a stick the way you want me to go!"

I flicked my fingers, summoning such a stick from the tree in the middle of the fork. I waved it in front of him, watching with glee as his eyes followed it ceaselessly. "Don't tempt me, buster!" I bopped him on the head with it and tossed it away.

Link grinned widely at me, his deep blue eyes as alive with energy as they had ever been. I sometimes had to remind myself the he had left his adolescence far behind him; he was easily in his forties by now, perhaps nearing his fifties. A combination of not knowing his birthday and every land working on different calendars meant I could never tell for sure. Ah well, I'd know if we ever went back to Hyrule; he'd decided to celebrate his birthday on roughly the day he'd first met me. 'It's when this 'me' was truly born!' He told me.

I glanced at him, as happy astride his steed as he had been when I first met him. Yes, he had aged, but he remained in good shape; he and I would spar regularly when we rested to keep on form. His skills with his sword remained strong; though his reflexes had been slowed a little by time, his sight was sharp and his feel for the blade remained.

My eyes caught the brown hilt of the sword slung across his back; the Master Sword had been returned to slumber in its ancient home. Instead, Link had somehow been given this new blade, the Wolf's Fang, in a very odd event; on his first trip through the portal, Link had discovered, like me, he was immune to its effects. We were exceptions, it seemed. Weeks later, after Zant's trial had concluded, Link had discovered that, whilst he entered the Twilight unarmed, this new sword had appeared on his back. It was a gift, we knew, as when I watched Link spin the sword through his fingers, his face told the story. It was just as the Master Sword, blessed and enchanted, but it was his. And on those rare occasions he required it, the blade sang for the blood of his enemies.

It had been an amazing time, those years before our final departure from Hyrule. I recalled how the changeover of power to the new government of the Twili went smoothly, with almost no resistance; for many months, Turos and I had painstakingly constructed the new system, lining up candidates, drawing out procedures, all in addition to my remaining time as Princess. Many Twili were sad that I had chosen this path, but I did not lie; I told them I could not be the ruler they deserved, and my final farewell from the palace was met with an incredible show of respect.

I remained in contact with the Twili all through our preparations, and as the realm recovered it became stronger. For the common people to be so involved with the shape of their own future gave them a renewed sense of purpose, and over time they themselves crafted the leadership they really needed. To my expectation, the idea of creatures of shadow entering the light was taken tentatively, and even after Turos himself met with Zelda to discuss relations between the realms, movement between worlds was slow. A few did leave to see what life was like in the light, but most remained in the realm, content with their purposeful lives steeped in peace and prosperity. Those who entered the world of Light found they remained much as they were. By contrast, the realm received regular visitors from the realm of Light; the scholar… Chad, or something like that… was there almost daily. Each time, his form became softer and lighter as he adapted to our world, and as he learned more, he decided to stay, becoming the Light's permanent liaison to the Twili. He was met with open arms, and I heard rumours he finally took a Twili woman as his bride. I was never more proud of my people.

The only concern was the Twili serving the longest custodial sentence ever imposed. For the time I kept in contact with the realm, he requested no visitors, not that I wished to see him. The guards told me how he spent his days staring blankly up into the Twilit sky. Ever since, I had come to realise something. Though he knew what he was getting into, he hadn't been in control of his actions, likely at all, and yet he insisted on being punished for them. Perhaps he had done this to provide the Twili with somewhere to vent their rage, and in doing so quell their hatred of the light. I would likely never know; he had likely already died in prison. But I had to wonder if purpose would keep him living; not long before we left, the guards told me he had suddenly requested parchment and quills, and for days on end had written continuously. Even as I left he had shown no signs of stopping. Perhaps he still wrote now, as we stood here years later.

"Hello?"

I was snapped out of my thoughts by the hand waving before my eyes. I batted the hand away and rolled my eyes at Link. "What did you say?"

He mock-sighed. "Okay, I give in, let's go to Labyrnia. It's probably worth a visit anyway."

I ruffled his hair. "I really did train you well!"

We both laughed. Link clicked his tongue, coaxing Epona to the right path. I followed suit, directing Gevistr to walk beside him. Both were beautiful mares, and so they should be; their mother was Link's original Epona, now long since passed. A few years before our journey had begun, his mare had borne twins, both strong fillies, and it was on these beautiful beasts that we had travelled for so many years. Link had named his steed after her mother the instant she was born; the resemblance was amazing, and just like her mother she was strong and bold. Gevistr, by contrast, was a solid dark brown with faint darker stripes, earning her the appearance of freshly sawn wood, hence her name. She was timid, but when threatened or scared, became unstoppable.

Riding along the beaten track to Labyrnia beside my love, I could not help but feel so complete. The hard months apart, so long ago, but so fresh, had been made up with years of happiness. We were finally free to live our own lives as we wished, and the years we had done so for had never been better. And I could only see more on the horizon. I settled back in my saddle as Gevistr walked beside her sister. "So, Labyrnia it is then. I knew you'd see my way," I grinned, and he smiled back. I sighed happily. "I wonder what we'll find there."

**The End**

* * *

Well that's it – Heroes is finished! I'd like to say it's been a heck of a journey; I feel I've learned a LOT as a writer whilst writing Heroes – this is the first thing I've ever published in any form, it's the longest thing I've ever written, I've never written romance or angst before, and the entire fic started as a way to vent my feelings on Midna's departure in Twilight Princess. I _never_ thought Heroes would garner so much attention, and I seriously cannot thank my readers and reviewers enough! I'm really honoured by the number of reviews, faves, alerts and general views Heroes has received, and I hope it continues to do so for a while yet And I really hope those who've been following Heroes will give the sequel a go! Oh, and I'll just add, no matter how old this fic is, keep reviewing it, cos it's very likely I'll still have this email address and I still love reading reviews!

As a final thought, I would like to dedicate this fic to the Want Midna Back initiative, especially to all those who fell in love with the Twilight Princess. It's my hope that Heroes of Time can, in ways, analogue the initiative's objectives, by showing just how far some of us would be prepared to go to ensure that one of the best video game characters ever conceived is not just a single-use companion. WMB inspired and nurtured this fic, so I say thank you to you all!

**Stay tuned for these preview messages of works coming soon!**

_And now…_  
"**What're you supposed to be? The Knight in Tights?"**  
_…the world has changed…_  
"**Who are you?"  
"Your best hope of getting out of this mess."**  
_…the legends have been forgotten…_  
"**Those old bedtime stories just earned a new chapter starring you!"**  
_…society is on the brink…_  
**"Still no word on the missing Hylians?"****  
"Not from anyone we can trust."**  
_…ancient powers are awakening…_  
"**We are torn between what we want to believe, and what others tell us to believe. Anything else is the truth."**  
_…and the fate of the world…_  
"**What happened to my kingdom?"  
"Some people call it 'progress.'"**  
_…lies in the hands of those who may destroy it._  
"_**And the white horses they rode in on were turned black in the ashes of the world they came to save."**_**  
The Legend of Link: The Scars of Time****  
Coming Soon to an FFN near you**


End file.
